A: No, once we are in the operational stage of the mine the workforce will be residential. There will be a construction camp located near the mine site for around 18 months – 2 years to support the construction of the mine infrastructure.  

A: Yes, access will be maintained to the CIT stamper battery and DOC reserves. A walking route will be available for the public to access the stamper battery, and an alternative route will be constructed to enable public access to continue across the Dunstan Mountains.  

A: Under the Resource Management Act, we must be evaluate the effects on the environment. The ecology survey data is being incorporated into the baseline and assessment reports that are underway. These updates will inform detailed design considerations to ensure effects are avoided, mitigated, compensated or offset.

A: At a gold price of $4,400/oz, we  expect to pay about $1.125 billion in royalties and taxes. This is made up of $325 million in royalties, and $800million in taxes. This does not include tax that is paid on wages and salaries. The gold price exceeded $5,000/oz this month, so this number will increase.

Because of the company’s expected profitability, the Government’s royalty on gold of 10% will apply, which means we will pay an effective tax rate of 38% when including the NZ corporate tax rate of 28% putting NZ’s royalty regime amongst the highest in the world.  

A: The local area will benefit from a local workforce; we are expecting to pay around $554 million (before tax) on wages and salaries over 10 years of construction and operations. As our workforce is residential, they will be spending locally. There will also be opportunities for local businesses, and suppliers to work with the mine.  

We are committed to giving back to the community by way of sponsorships, donations, scholarships and other means including improved infrastructure such as roading and power resilience

A: About 40 percent of shareholders are kiwis. It is expected that over 60% of the returns earned from the gold extracted will remain in New Zealand, through taxes and royalties, wages, dividends, using local suppliers, and spending locally. 

A: Yes, the Bendigo-Ophir Project will include both an open pit and an underground mine. Operations will begin with an open pit mine during the initial stage. After about one year of mining, we plan to start construction of the underground mine.

The reason for this phased approach is that the gold deposit extends to depths that eventually become impractical for open cut mining, making an underground operation necessary for continued extraction

A: The overburden (material that is removed from the pit to get to the gold containing rock) will be used to construct an engineered landform. The Rise and Shine pit closure will form part of the rehabilitation and closure plan, this could include such things as reducing the batter, planting, and the lower part of the pit being left as a pit lake.  

A: Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) is an engineered containment structure that is used to store the mineral waste that remains after the ore is processed to extract the gold. This mineral waste is called the tailings.

The TSF will be designed to meet the NZ Dam Safety Guidelines and will safely contain tailings when subjected to potential future extreme earthquakes. The TSF will be designed to withstand a 1 in 10,000 year earthquake, this includes a potential rupture on the Alpine Fault ( the AF8* is a 1 in 300 year earthquake) or other faults in the region.

The tailings will be contained behind the TSF, this will be further buttressed by a large volume of rockfill placed in an engineered landform (ELF). The detailed design will be independently peer reviewed as part of submitting for Building Consent for the tailings storage facility.

A: Due to the layout of the valley that the dam will be situated in there are some advantages to how we can manage the tailings storage facility (TSF).

- The schist rock that sits in the valley is tight and has less permeability than the alluvial gravels that are on the flats near the river. The TSF and engineered landform (ELF) design incorporates a system of drains within their foundations and structure that intercept any water seeping through them. This is collected at the low point at the toe or downstream face of the ELF in the seepage sump. This water will be recycled, either by being used in the processing plant, or will be pumped back up to the TSF.

- During rain or snow events, any water flowing across the surface during operations will be collected in the silt pond to allow sediment to settle. This is sized for a 10 year, 72 hour storm event. The water will either be directed for use in the operations or discharged to Shepherds Creek once it meets the limits for discharge, e.g. sediment load typically less than 50NTU.

- Clean water will be diverted around the TSF and ELF via water races to maintain flow in Shepherds Creek and appropriate riparian plants will be established alongside these races.

A: The project is expected to make an annual direct GDP contribution of $373m. Over the 9.2 year mine life the project is expected to contribute $4.5 billion of GDP.

The local area will benefit from a local workforce; we are expecting to pay around $554 million (before tax) on wages and salaries over 10 years of construction and operations. As our workforce is residential, they will be spending locally. There will also be opportunities for local businesses, and suppliers to work with the mine.

We are committed to giving back to the community by way of sponsorships, donations, scholarships and other means including improved infrastructure such as roading and power resilience.

A: About 364 people will be employed directly, this is 0.8% of the current size of the Inland Otago job market. The Inland Otago job market has previously demonstrated it can absorb more than a 0.8% increase. The total number of filled jobs in Inland Otago expanded by 4.8%pa in 2023 alone and over the past decade has averaged 4.4%pa expansion.

A: It is estimated that the construction of an additional 226 homes above the current build rates, over the next 11 years (an average of just over 20 homes a year) would neutralise the risk of the project adding more pressure to the housing shortages in the region.

A: Ensuring that Santana rehabilitates the site for post-closure land use is front of mind during the design phase, and starts on day-one of the operation with careful removal and storage of soils. As final landforms are completed, those soils are spread over the surface and appropriate vegetation planted to control initial erosion.

Mine rehabilitation and closure plans are being developed and will be included in the consent application. Financial bonds will be lodged to ensure rehabilitation and closure requirements are met.

A: A bond is a financial guarantee that ensures a mining site can be properly rehabilitated, even if the company is unable to complete the work itself.

Our bond amount will be calculated by an independent professional assessor and lodged with the regulator. It acts as a form of insurance, protecting the environment and the community by covering the full cost of site rehabilitation if needed.

The bond is reviewed every 12 months to make sure it remains at the right level as the project progresses and site conditions change.

A: No, the current mining application only covers a specific portion of the exploration permit area. While the exploration permit spans a much larger area—from Bendigo to Ophir—the mining operation will be limited to a defined section within that zone.

A: The exploration permit grants Santana the right to investigate the geological potential of a broad area. This includes conducting surveys, sampling, and drilling to assess mineral resources. Access arrangements with landowners are also required.

An exploration permit does not automatically grant permission to mine.

A: Yes, exploration activities will continue alongside the mining operation. This ongoing work helps Santana better understand the geology of the region and potentially identify new areas of interest for future development.