Waihi Gold Centre - About the participants

September 22, 2007

Waihi Gold Discovery Centre
About the participants

New Zealand Mint
Te Kamupene Whakanao o Aotearoa

The New Zealand Mint is New Zealand’s sole precious metal mint. Founded in 1967, the privately-owned company has been minting legal tender commemorative coins, gold bullion and medallions for more than four decades.

One of only a few privately-owned mints world-wide, New Zealand Mint was one of the first in the world to adopt the .9999 standard for gold coin purity. It prides itself on high quality design and production work.

Probably best known in New Zealand for its Gold Kiwi bullion, the Mint produces and markets a wide range of precious metal items. These include gold and silver coins and commemorative and collectors coins as well as jewellery and watches.

New Zealand Mint also deals in precious metal bullion and on request will store gold and silver for customers. The company works on commissions from clients for custom minting as well as producing its own commemorative coins and items and bullion.

NZ Mint Products
Gold & Silver Bullion
 Gold Kiwi coins in 1oz, 1/2oz and 1/4oz variations
 Gold bars, 5oz, 10oz and 1kg
 Silver Fern 1oz
 Silver bars, 1kg and 5kg

Gold Commemorative coins
 Official Jack Nicklaus Coin, limited to 113 pure gold coins each weighing 113g
 Everest 50th Anniversary silver coin (1oz)
 Fiji Gold (70 years of gold mining - 1/10th and 1/20thoz)

Minted Jewellery
 Official Gold Kiwi Pendants
 Gold Nugget Jewellery
 Cufflinks
 Selective Gold Chain
 Coin Swiss quartz watches featuring faces comprising New Zealand coins in six designs.

Vision Waihi Trust
Since May 2003 the community of Waihi has been actively engaged in discussion, consultation and planning the future of Waihi with regard to the environmental, cultural, economic and social viability and stability of the area. This has been made possible through the implementation of the Waihi Community Vision (WCV) process which brought together a diverse range of people and interests.

Through their collaboration and collective energies, they produced a montage of possibilities for the future of Waihi, known as the 2020 Vision. Locally there was a desire to be involved in the implementation of the ideas and to create an organisation that could make possible the successful introduction of the 2020 Vision and other suitable projects.

The Vision Waihi Trust (VWT) was formed in February 2006 and is a tool through which the community can address issues of its future sustainability. The trust works with the WCV group, Hauraki District Council, Newmont Waihi Gold and a number of other public and private partners to develop and implement innovative and practical community assets.

Hauraki District Council
Hauraki District Council was established in 1989 following the amalgamation of Ohinemuri County Council, Waihi Borough Council, Paeroa Borough Council and Hauraki Plains County Council. The District covers an area of 1,144 square kilometres and has a resident population of 17,000.

For a small community, Hauraki District Council has some real strengths. Recently voted the third top rural council by Federated Farmers, the Council has particularly good relationships with its agricultural community. Tourism is also a main activity in the district with a number of well known tourist facilities such as the L&P bottle and the Karangahake walkway.

Strategically placed at a crossroads between the cities and the Coromandel, Waihi is already high on the tourist list of "places to go" and "things to see”. Hauraki District Council is well aware this new iconic visitor attraction will enhance the attractiveness to visitors of the entire district.

“Opportunities such as this really do support the community’s desire for ‘a vibrant and sustainable economy’ and Council is looking forward to supporting the longevity of this attraction,” says Mayor John Tregidga.

New Zealand Trade & Enterprise
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is the government’s national economic development agency. It works to stimulate economic growth by helping to boost export earnings, strengthen regional economies, and deliver economic development assistance to industries and individual businesses.

Newmont Waihi Gold

Newmont Waihi Gold owns and operates the Martha and Favona gold mining operations in Waihi and has an active exploration programme in the region. It directly employs about 300 people. The Martha Mine has been operating as an open pit since 1987, producing an average of around 100,000 ounces of gold and 700,000 ounces of silver annually.

Construction began for the Favona underground mine in 2004 and stope production began there in 2006. Both operations are close to Waihi’s thriving community and are the subject of intense public interest.

The company is dedicated to maintaining operations in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Although Newmont hopes to be a part of the region and the Waihi community for some time yet, it has been working with the WCV since May 2003 to establish a sustainable future for the town once mining operations are completed.

ENDS

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