TSX-listed Rua Gold has submitted a substantive application under New Zealand's Fast-track Approvals Act for the Auld Creek gold/antimony project, in the Reefton Goldfield, on the South Island of New Zealand.

The submission follows the project's approval for referral into the fast-track process and marks a key milestone in Rua's transition from explorer to mine developer. The application seeks the approvals required for the proposed underground mine and associated infrastructure through a coordinated consenting pathway.

Rua VP Simon Delander says this submission brings together extensive environmental, social and technical work undertaken by the company and independent advisers, alongside stakeholder engagement.

“Our focus is now on supporting the assessment process and responding to requests for further information. We thank Ngāti Waewae, the Reefton and wider West Coast communities, and everyone who has contributed to reaching this milestone.

The West Coast has a strong mining history, and we look forward to helping write the next chapter of mining for Reefton and the West Coast,” says Delander.

Rua CEO Robert Eckford describes the submission of the substantive application as a major step toward bringing gold and antimony production back to Reefton.

“Auld Creek has the potential to anchor a wider operation in the Reefton Goldfield, creating skilled employment and opportunities for local businesses while helping address the global antimony supply deficit,” he says.

Rua's Auld Creek project was initially assessed by the New Zealand government through a fast-track referral process. The referral application was accepted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), allowing Rua to make the substantive application.

The company says the application brings together the proposed development plans and supporting assessments prepared by the company and its independent advisers.

These address water quality, ecology, landscape and visual effects, air quality, traffic, geochemistry, erosion and sediment control and mine closure, alongside social and economic considerations.

Preparation of the application has been informed by engagement with Ngāti Waewae, local communities, councils, regulators and other stakeholders.

Rua says it intends to continue this engagement throughout the assessment process and as the project's design is refined.

The application will now be subject to statutory reviews and assessment under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 for completeness before an expert panel is formed for a full assessment of the project, should the application meet the requirements of the completeness test.

The company explains that the fast-track regime enables eligible projects to seek approvals under several statutes through a single process. Submission is followed by checks for completeness and scope before an independent expert panel is established to assess the application and determine whether approvals should be granted and on what conditions.

The company says its mid-2027 permitting target remains subject to the assessment process, any requests for additional information, potential suspensions and any appeals. Submission of the application does not constitute approval of the project.

In parallel, Rua is advancing the project’s prefeasibility study (PFS) to evaluate the proposed mining and processing approach and project economics. The company says any decision to proceed with development will be subject to the results of technical and economic studies, receipt of the necessary approvals, financing and a final investment decision.

Permitting and technical studies are progressing in parallel, with the PFS targeted for completion in the fourth quarter of this year.

Rua says it continues to target receipt of the key project approvals by mid-2027, subject to acceptance of the application, regulatory review and a favourable decision.

The project is proposed as an underground gold/antimony operation with an initial eight-year mine life and is expected to employ over 200 people and contribute an estimated NZ$240-million to the regional economy.