MINING

Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project

Santana Minerals · Otago

Proposed open-pit and underground gold mine at Bendigo, Central Otago, targeting about 120,000 ounces a year over a 30-year permit. Capital cost around A$277m (NZ~$300m). Consented via the Fast-track Approvals Act with a decision due in October 2026; capital raising underway. Controversial locally.

Mixed signals Data: Medium

Delivery Confidence Score, 0 to 100, higher is better: a ranking of how strong this project's delivery signals are, not a probability. It blends eight factors, including the election risk and policy alignment shown below.

Breakdown▾

Data current as at 13 Jun 2026, when the pipeline was last checked against its source.

Key facts

Region: Otago
Sector: Mining
Status: Planning
Estimated value: $300m
Indicative completion: 2027
Funding status: Part Funded
Lead organisation: Santana Minerals
Election risk: High

Election risk assessment

Prospective open-pit and underground gold mine in Central Otago, consented through the Fast-track Approvals Act. A coalition flagship for the minerals strategy, but new large-scale mining is opposed by Labour and the Greens, and the project is not yet built.

Government priority alignment

HIGH: Central to the government minerals strategy (double minerals exports by 2035) and the Fast-track regime.

Source

Fast-track: Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project ↗ · Beehive: Major Fast-track mining project approved ↗

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