Gold hunt heating up

New Zealand's potential gold reserves are expected to be aggressively sought after during the next two years following an increase in prospecting and exploration permits.

During 2004, Government agency Crown Minerals granted 47 and 45 exploration and mining permits for minerals and coal and to June this year a further 32 and 16.

More than 300 mining industry delegates, some from North America and Britain, are expected to attend the 2005 New Zealand Minerals conference in Auckland from November 14.