Rua Gold files fast-track application for Auld Creek project in New Zealand

RUA GOLD has submitted an application for the Auld Creek project in New Zealand’s Reefton Goldfield to be considered under the government’s new Fast-Track Approval process. If successful, the step could advance Auld Creek through an accelerated approval process, with a decision on inclusion expected within the next three months. The company views Auld Creek as a potential starter mine within the Reefton Goldfield and is pursuing a strategy that closely integrates exploration, resource expansion, and permitting preparation.

The new Fast-Track process is designed to allow several central permits to be bundled into a streamlined process, including mining permits, resource consents, water rights, and permits related to wildlife and environmental protection. The legal basis for this was established in December 2024, when the New Zealand government introduced a Fast-Track Approvals system to serve as a central point of contact for projects of significant regional or national importance.

The submitted application includes a series of technical reports and initial baseline studies. Topics covered include water quality, ecology, landscape and visual impacts, air quality, socio-economic effects, cultural heritage, infrastructure, and subsequent mine closure planning. The work also involves extensive consultation with local stakeholders and contributions from environmental, social, and technical experts.

According to current planning, the project is designed as an underground operation with an initial mine life of up to eight years. The project could create around 200 jobs and contribute approximately 240 million New Zealand dollars to the regional economy. RUA GOLD also sees the opportunity to establish a processing hub via Auld Creek that could support future mining developments in the region.

Parallel to the permitting process, RUA is working on a Preliminary Economic Assessment scheduled for completion in May 2026. The plan is then to proceed toward a Preliminary Feasibility Study targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.

RUA GOLD is focused exclusively on New Zealand and holds two core project areas: the Reefton Goldfields on the South Island and the Glamorgan Project in the Hauraki Goldfields on the North Island. In the Reefton Goldfields, the company controls more than 120,000 hectares of concessions and holds around 95% of the exploration licences in the district. Since mining began in 1872, approximately 2 million ounces of gold have been produced from underground mines in Reefton, at historical grades of around 9 to 50 g/t gold.