2 Feb 2026

Explainer: What are NZ's critical minerals?

From Afternoons, 1:10 pm on 2 February 2026

In January 2025, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment published the Crown's mineral strategy with a goal of doubling our mineral exports to three billion dollars by 2035. 

On Friday, we learnt that to achieve that goal MBIE is looking to develop a "non-binding critical minerals framework" and has been having discussions with the US on the supply of critical minerals. 

To explain what this all means, Jesse talks to Sefton Darby, is a former National Minerals manager at MBIE, and now consults on geo-politics and political risk. 

Sefton Darby

Sefton Darby Photo: supplied