TiGa Minerals & Metals
Barrytown Mineral Project
On 29 April 2024, TiGa Minerals & Metals (TiGa) was granted a resource consent to mine minerals and heavy metals on private farmland at the Barrytown Flats on the West Coast, New Zealand.
The company currently has a resource consent application lodged with the Grey District Council for a mineral separation plant at Rapahoe.
This new application (if approved) will complete the necessary consents needed to allow TiGa to mine and process minerals into final value-added products for export.
Recent Highlights
Resource consent application lodged for Mineral Separation Plant (MSP)
Fast-track consents application nearing completion
Drilling campaign underway
Mineral Separation Plant Resource Consents
TiGa has submitted a resource consent application to the Grey District Council (GDC) to build a Mineral Separation Plat (MSP) on land at Rapahoe, near Greymouth. The proposed site – a former coal washing plant – is well connected by rail to export ports in Lyttleton and Timaru via KiwiRail’s Midland Line.
With mining consents for the nearby Coates South mine already granted in late in 2024, this new application (if approved) , will complete the necessary consents to mine and process minerals into final value-added products. This is a key step towards TiGa delivering a full feasibility study of the project as an integrated operation.
Fast-Track Approvals Bill Resource Consents Application
Applications under the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill opened on 7 February 2025. TiGa is finalising its application and has completed most of the technical reports required. We’re actively engaging with various agencies, councils, local iwi and the wider community to ensure their perspectives are included in the application.
The application covers the total southern area of TiGa’s Mineral Lease from Canoe Creek to Fagans Creek and connects the already consented Coates South area. If granted this will provide an additional 20-year extension of mine life extension for the Barrytown Minerals Project.
Drilling Campaign
TiGa has begun a test drilling campaign to provide additional mineral resource information to support the extended mine life required for the planned feasibility study. The drilling will also enable metallurgical test-work to be carried out to demonstrate that the mineral resource is consistent over its entire length.
Feasibility Study
Work continues on the various inputs for the financial model that provides the economic data for the feasibility study, and the economic criteria to enable the mineral resource to be converted to an ore reserve status.
A recent survey of the global market for the Barrytown Minerals Project ilmenite and garnet products shows continued growing demand and increasing prices.
Resource consent secured following Environment Court appeal
An appeal against the resource consents secured by the Barrytown Mineral Sands Project in April 2024 was successfully resolved by agreement reached through mediation and endorsed by the Environment Court through a consent order.
TiGa now has the permits and approvals required to allow mining to commence, with amendments to the conditions of consent that address objectors’ concerns while enabling mining activity.
The key condition changes relate to wetland setbacks and reduced hours of operation for trucking, loading of trucks, mining, overburden and topsoil stripping, bund development and related activities. The amendments further reduce the risk of adverse effects on indigenous avifauna, such as the Taiko (Westland Petrel).
TiGa thanks all participants involved in the appeal for the good faith and constructive manner in which the final agreement was reached.
Employment and contracted services opportunities
TiGa’s has received numerous inquiries about employment or the provision of contracted services.
TiGa is collating these approaches and will respond to all expressions of interest as planning develops.
We encourage anyone seeking employment or offering services to file their expressions of interest to our public inquiries email.
The Barrytown Mineral Project will provide significant economic benefits for the Grey District and wider West Coast community.
Employment, economic activity, local spending and exports will all increase significantly.
The approved mine and mineral separation plant (consent pending) mine will together generate an estimated $63 million per year and create 57 directly employed mining jobs and 80 support jobs elsewhere in the economy.
More people will be attracted to the area and young people will have more employment opportunities on the West Coast. TiGa has already had strong interest from New Zealanders working in mines overseas, wanting to return to New Zealand to work on the Barrytown Mineral Project.
TiGa accepts and supports its environmental obligations.
We have provisions in place for the operation of the Barrytown Mineral Project to ensure that water, wildlife and the wider environment are protected and enhanced, and the land is fully restored to farming pasture.
We will: increase the area of native planting on the site and along bordering wetlands and waterways; remove pest weeds; and carry out pest control for introduced mammalian predators.
TiGa will work with the West Coast community to ensure locals are involved in the resource consent process.
We asked the West Coast Regional Council and Grey District Council to publicly notify our resource consent application so anyone with an interest could have their say.
TiGa has now set up a community liaison group to make sure community voices continue to be heard as we progress our plans toward mining, mineral separation and value-add export.
We also propose to create opportunities for local youth to study and gain employment.
“We’re committed to ensuring mana whenua and the West Coast community continue to have input into our ongoing operations, via the community liaison group we established.”
— Robert Brand, TiGa Managing Director