Santana Minerals has spent more than $17 million on its Central Otago gold mine fast-track application and it has accepted a new timeline for the decision-making panel’s deliberations.

Costs relating to the proposed Bendigo-Ophir mine included $10.1m for environmental, technical and supplementary forensic investigations, $1m on cultural values and $4.7m in legal, planning and specialist advisory services, the company told shareholders on Monday.

The investment tally was about $17.7m, Santana said.

The company’s update was principally about timeframes for restarting the Environmental Protection Authority’s assessment and decision-making process, after it had paused in June pending more information.

Timeframes had been an issue because it had been signalled deliberations could start on August 17, but supplementary information might not be available until September 11. 

The expert panel asked for resumption of the decision-making process to align with receipt of extra information.

Santana then agreed to bring forward the date of submitting proposed final consent conditions to August 28.

Chief executive Damian Spring said the panel had been clear about the time it believed was required to complete its assessment and decision-making processes.

“We appreciate that clarity and have adjusted our timetable accordingly,” he said.

The project near Cromwell continued to advance through the fast-track process and finalisation of consent conditions in August would allow the panel to move into substantive deliberations on its decision, Mr Spring said.

“We remain confident that Bendigo-Ophir is well positioned to receive a positive outcome and subject to approvals, commence development activities early 2027.”

Santana said it would not seek any further pause to its application.

In 2024, Santana declared its Rise and Shine site at the proposed mine was the most significant single gold discovery in four decades.

The proposed mine has been a source of contention in the community.

Sustainable Tarras chairwoman Suze Keith said in April there were numerous areas of serious concern.

“Expert analysis across multiple disciplines has highlighted immense risks with Santana’s deeply controversial project,” she said.

A combination of factors meant there was “no doubt that this project in this area is just not appropriate”.

At the time, Sustainable Tarras highlighted a reported cost of $8m from Santana preparing its application.

Santana said it had worked collaboratively and used its best endeavours to satisfy all matters with the expert panel, regulators, technical experts, iwi, submitters and other interested parties.

The company said on Monday it continued to receive encouraging indications from the Rise and Shine area.

“Every hole we drill into our high-grade core just gets better,” Mr Spring said.