Mining has become a key part of the Government’s plans for economic growth.

Resources Minister – and self-appointed ‘Matua of Mining’ - Shane Jones has unveiled a plan to double exports to $3 billion by 2035, alongside a list of 37-strong Critical Minerals List and a national minerals strategy.

While the plan has been met with criticism from environmentalists and the opposition, there has been some positive feedback from academics, praising the plan for its commitment to ‘pipe-line development’.

But do the numbers stack up? And how many of those critical minerals are actually sitting beneath our feet?

Today on The Front Page, Massey University Professor of Geography Glenn Banks is with us to dig into the government’s mining plans.

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

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