Rua Gold (TSX:RUA) is set to transition from an explorer to mine developer, after submitting a fast-track referral application for the Auld Creek Project located in the South Island of New Zealand.
If the application is successful, the company has the potential to accelerate development timelines and streamline permitting for the Auld Creek Project.
Vice President Simon Delander says the company has been working diligently to compile technical reports and initial baseline studies required to support the referral application.
“The Reefton project has the potential to become a significant gold and antimony operation, positioning the region as an important global source of antimony, a critical mineral of increasing geopolitical significance,” Delander says.
“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with government and local stakeholders to advance the project.”
In parallel, Rua Gold is advancing a preliminary economic assessment, expected to be completed in May 2026, with progression to a Prefeasibility Study targeted for Q4 2026.
Accelerating Auld Creek’s development
The Fast-Track Approvals Act establishes a streamlined decision-making framework to facilitate infrastructure and development projects with regional or national benefits.
Under the process, project applications are submitted to the New Zealand Government, then the responsible ministers determine whether a project qualifies for fast-track consideration.
Projects must meet defined criteria, including demonstrating regional or national significance. The process also includes consultation with relevant government agencies, local authorities, and Iwi groups.
Rua Gold has received support from the Ngāti Waewae, the Reefton and West Coast communities, and government stakeholders.
The referral application includes a suite of technical reports and baseline studies, which will be further expanded ahead of the substantive fast-track application to ensure the project meets and exceeds regulatory and environmental standards.
Auld Creek is a proposed underground mining operation with an expected initial mine life of up to eight years. The project is anticipated to employ 200 people and contribute an estimated NZ$240 million ($197 million) to the regional economy.
Rua Gold is a mineral explorer strategically focused on discoveries in New Zealand. The company controls the Reefton District as the dominant landholder in the Reefton Goldfield in New Zealand’s South Island with more than 120,000 hectares of tenements.
The Reefton District has historically produced more than 2 million ounces of gold grading between 9 and 50 grams per tonne gold.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Rua Gold
