How we think about the ground we work in
Mining that gives
more than it takes.
Metabore's ambition is not simply to cause less harm. It is to create measurable, lasting positive outcomes — for the environment, the water, the communities, and the history of every place we work.
The bigger picture
From low impact to net positive.
Micro Mining begins with a smaller footprint than any conventional mining method. But our environmental ambition goes beyond reducing impact. We intend to use the wealth created by high-grade precision mining to actively improve the environments, communities, and cultural heritage of the places we work — leaving them measurably better than we found them.
This is not a corporate social responsibility exercise. It is a core part of how we define a successful project. A mine that extracts exceptional grade, disturbs minimal ground, protects local water systems, achieves net zero emissions, and invests in the cultural and ecological recovery of its surrounding landscape — that is what a Metabore project looks like when it is done right.
"High-grade mining, done precisely, creates the wealth to do more than just mine."
Our commitments
Four outcomes we intend to deliver.
These are not aspirations we are working toward. They are the standard we hold ourselves to — and the measure by which we ask communities, regulators, and partners to judge us.
Environment
Net positive environmental outcomes.
Micro Mining's minimal footprint is the foundation. But we intend to go further — investing a portion of project returns into ecological restoration, biodiversity enhancement, and land rehabilitation that exceeds regulatory requirements.
Net zero emissions on every project. Underground electric fleet. Renewable energy at surface where available. Rehabilitation bonded and completed. Surrounding land left in better condition than it was found.
Water
Locate, protect, and preserve water systems.
Before any drilling or development begins, we use Onirik's Water Finder Technology (WFT) to identify and map subsurface water bodies in and around our project areas. This allows us to design our access and extraction specifically to avoid them.
WFT gives us the information to make better decisions — locating aquifers, understanding flow systems, and ensuring that narrow-vein underground development does not intersect or contaminate water resources that communities and ecosystems depend on.
Community
Wealth that stays in the places it comes from.
The wealth created by high-grade precision mining should benefit the communities that host it. We intend to invest meaningfully in local economic development, environmental restoration, and community infrastructure — not as a compliance exercise, but as a genuine commitment to the places we operate.
We engage early, consult openly, and structure our projects so that community benefit is built in — not negotiated after the fact. The economic case for Micro Mining is strong enough to share generously.
Heritage & Archaeology
Recover and share the history of the ground we work.
Many of the places Metabore targets — including the Macetown district in the Arrow River valley — have rich and poorly documented histories. Colonial-era mining, Māori land use, and natural heritage are all present, and most of it has never been properly recorded.
We intend to invest in archaeological survey, historical documentation, and heritage interpretation at our project sites — creating lasting records that support education, tourism, and cultural understanding for future generations.
Water protection
Know where the water is before you drill.
Underground mining and water systems can coexist — but only if you understand the subsurface before you enter it. Conventional exploration often discovers water bodies through drilling, after the fact. By then, the damage may already be done.
Metabore uses Onirik's Water Finder Technology (WFT) as a standard part of our pre-development assessment on every project. WFT uses satellite sensing and ground surveys at water resonant frequencies to identify the location, depth, flow, and quality of subsurface water bodies — before any drilling or development takes place.
This gives us the information to design our underground access specifically around water systems — avoiding them entirely where possible, and managing proximity carefully where it cannot be avoided. It also means we can demonstrate to regulators and communities that our decision-making was informed, not reactive.
Why this matters
The Arrow River catchment and similar high-country environments support ecosystems and communities downstream. Knowing where the water is isn't just good practice — it is the minimum standard for operating responsibly in these landscapes.
WFT mapping — development routed to avoid water body
Heritage & community — Macetown
A place with a story that deserves to be told properly.
The Macetown district in the Arrow River valley is one of New Zealand's most significant historic goldfields. Settled during the 1860s gold rush, the area contains the ruins of a substantial mining settlement, extensive historical workings, and evidence of a community that has been largely forgotten.
The historical record of Macetown and the surrounding Arrow River valley is incomplete. Much of what happened there — who worked the ground, how they lived, what Māori history precedes the colonial era, and what the land looked like before either — is poorly documented and at risk of being lost entirely.
"The gold brought people here. The history of those people is worth more than the gold."
We intend to change that. As we develop the Macetown project, we will invest in archaeological survey, historical documentation, and heritage interpretation — creating resources that support education, tourism, and cultural understanding for the communities of the Queenstown Lakes district and beyond.
What we intend to invest in
- — Archaeological survey of the Macetown settlement and surrounding workings — systematic recording of structures, artefacts, and historical features before, during, and after our operations.
- — Māori heritage research — the Arrow River valley has a pre-colonial history that is poorly understood. We will work with local iwi to research, record, and appropriately acknowledge that history.
- — Historical documentation — compilation and publication of the social and mining history of Macetown, making it accessible to researchers, schools, and the public.
- — Heritage interpretation — on-site and digital interpretation resources that allow visitors to understand what happened in this valley and why it matters.
- — Tourism and access — the Arrow River track already draws visitors. We intend to enhance rather than restrict that access, and to make the historical dimension of the area a genuine part of what the valley offers.
Net zero
Our emissions commitment — project by project.
Net zero is our target on every Metabore project. This is an operational commitment, not an offset strategy. We achieve it through the way we design and run our mines — not by purchasing credits to compensate for emissions we haven't tried to eliminate.
Zero combustion emissions underground. No diesel particulate matter, no CO₂ from equipment operation inside the workings. This is the single largest emissions reduction available in underground mining — and we have already made it.
Where project location allows, we source surface power from renewable energy — solar, hydro, or grid renewable supply. Remote project sites in New Zealand's high country are well suited to small-scale renewable generation.
Narrow tunnels require less concrete, less steel ground support, and less surface infrastructure. The embodied carbon of a Micro Mining project is a fraction of a conventional underground operation at equivalent output.
We measure our emissions from the first day of project development. Where residual emissions exist that cannot be eliminated, we address them transparently — reporting our position to investors, regulators, and communities.
"We don't just intend to leave the land as we found it. We intend to leave it better — and the history of the people who came before us properly told."— Metabore, environmental & community commitment
Talk to us about how we work.
Get in touchHow we think about the ground we work in
Mining that gives
more than it takes.
Metabore's ambition is not simply to cause less harm. It is to create measurable, lasting positive outcomes — for the environment, the water, the communities, and the history of every place we work.
The bigger picture
From low impact to net positive.
Micro Mining begins with a smaller footprint than any conventional mining method. But our environmental ambition goes beyond reducing impact. We intend to use the wealth created by high-grade precision mining to actively improve the environments, communities, and cultural heritage of the places we work — leaving them measurably better than we found them.
This is not a corporate social responsibility exercise. It is a core part of how we define a successful project. A mine that extracts exceptional grade, disturbs minimal ground, protects local water systems, achieves net zero emissions, and invests in the cultural and ecological recovery of its surrounding landscape — that is what a Metabore project looks like when it is done right.
"High-grade mining, done precisely, creates the wealth to do more than just mine."
Our commitments
Four outcomes we intend to deliver.
These are not aspirations we are working toward. They are the standard we hold ourselves to — and the measure by which we ask communities, regulators, and partners to judge us.
Environment
Net positive environmental outcomes.
Micro Mining's minimal footprint is the foundation. But we intend to go further — investing a portion of project returns into ecological restoration, biodiversity enhancement, and land rehabilitation that exceeds regulatory requirements.
Net zero emissions on every project. Underground electric fleet. Renewable energy at surface where available. Rehabilitation bonded and completed. Surrounding land left in better condition than it was found.
Water
Locate, protect, and preserve water systems.
Before any drilling or development begins, we use Onirik's Water Finder Technology (WFT) to identify and map subsurface water bodies in and around our project areas. This allows us to design our access and extraction specifically to avoid them.
WFT gives us the information to make better decisions — locating aquifers, understanding flow systems, and ensuring that narrow-vein underground development does not intersect or contaminate water resources that communities and ecosystems depend on.
Community
Wealth that stays in the places it comes from.
The wealth created by high-grade precision mining should benefit the communities that host it. We intend to invest meaningfully in local economic development, environmental restoration, and community infrastructure — not as a compliance exercise, but as a genuine commitment to the places we operate.
We engage early, consult openly, and structure our projects so that community benefit is built in — not negotiated after the fact. The economic case for Micro Mining is strong enough to share generously.
Heritage & Archaeology
Recover and share the history of the ground we work.
Many of the places Metabore targets — including the Macetown district in the Arrow River valley — have rich and poorly documented histories. Colonial-era mining, Māori land use, and natural heritage are all present, and most of it has never been properly recorded.
We intend to invest in archaeological survey, historical documentation, and heritage interpretation at our project sites — creating lasting records that support education, tourism, and cultural understanding for future generations.
Water protection
Know where the water is before you drill.
Underground mining and water systems can coexist — but only if you understand the subsurface before you enter it. Conventional exploration often discovers water bodies through drilling, after the fact. By then, the damage may already be done.
Metabore uses Onirik's Water Finder Technology (WFT) as a standard part of our pre-development assessment on every project. WFT uses satellite sensing and ground surveys at water resonant frequencies to identify the location, depth, flow, and quality of subsurface water bodies — before any drilling or development takes place.
This gives us the information to design our underground access specifically around water systems — avoiding them entirely where possible, and managing proximity carefully where it cannot be avoided. It also means we can demonstrate to regulators and communities that our decision-making was informed, not reactive.
Why this matters
The Arrow River catchment and similar high-country environments support ecosystems and communities downstream. Knowing where the water is isn't just good practice — it is the minimum standard for operating responsibly in these landscapes.
WFT mapping — development routed to avoid water body
Heritage & community — Macetown
A place with a story that deserves to be told properly.
The Macetown district in the Arrow River valley is one of New Zealand's most significant historic goldfields. Settled during the 1860s gold rush, the area contains the ruins of a substantial mining settlement, extensive historical workings, and evidence of a community that has been largely forgotten.
The historical record of Macetown and the surrounding Arrow River valley is incomplete. Much of what happened there — who worked the ground, how they lived, what Māori history precedes the colonial era, and what the land looked like before either — is poorly documented and at risk of being lost entirely.
"The gold brought people here. The history of those people is worth more than the gold."
We intend to change that. As we develop the Macetown project, we will invest in archaeological survey, historical documentation, and heritage interpretation — creating resources that support education, tourism, and cultural understanding for the communities of the Queenstown Lakes district and beyond.
What we intend to invest in
- — Archaeological survey of the Macetown settlement and surrounding workings — systematic recording of structures, artefacts, and historical features before, during, and after our operations.
- — Māori heritage research — the Arrow River valley has a pre-colonial history that is poorly understood. We will work with local iwi to research, record, and appropriately acknowledge that history.
- — Historical documentation — compilation and publication of the social and mining history of Macetown, making it accessible to researchers, schools, and the public.
- — Heritage interpretation — on-site and digital interpretation resources that allow visitors to understand what happened in this valley and why it matters.
- — Tourism and access — the Arrow River track already draws visitors. We intend to enhance rather than restrict that access, and to make the historical dimension of the area a genuine part of what the valley offers.
Net zero
Our emissions commitment — project by project.
Net zero is our target on every Metabore project. This is an operational commitment, not an offset strategy. We achieve it through the way we design and run our mines — not by purchasing credits to compensate for emissions we haven't tried to eliminate.
Zero combustion emissions underground. No diesel particulate matter, no CO₂ from equipment operation inside the workings. This is the single largest emissions reduction available in underground mining — and we have already made it.
Where project location allows, we source surface power from renewable energy — solar, hydro, or grid renewable supply. Remote project sites in New Zealand's high country are well suited to small-scale renewable generation.
Narrow tunnels require less concrete, less steel ground support, and less surface infrastructure. The embodied carbon of a Micro Mining project is a fraction of a conventional underground operation at equivalent output.
We measure our emissions from the first day of project development. Where residual emissions exist that cannot be eliminated, we address them transparently — reporting our position to investors, regulators, and communities.
"We don't just intend to leave the land as we found it. We intend to leave it better — and the history of the people who came before us properly told."— Metabore, environmental & community commitment
Talk to us about how we work.
Get in touch