The New Zealand Minerals Industry Association was
incorporated as the NZ Mineral Exploration Association in 1982, with a
membership that consisted of the gold exploration companies then active in
New Zealand
. As
its membership broadened, it changed its name to the Mining and Exploration
Association in 1994, and more recently the Minerals Industry Association. It is
a non-profit-making incorporated society relying on voluntary membership, and is
not funded by industry levies.

It
has employed a full time executive director since 1988 when Robyn Ross was
appointed, followed by John Pfahlert (1991 - 1996) and now with Doug Gordon
managing the Association.

The
Association is one of a number of organisations that represent the mining
industry in New
Zealand. Others include the Coal Association of
NZ (CANZ), the Aggregate and Quarry Association (AQA), The West Coast Commercial
Gold Miners Association and Minerals West Coast.

NZMIA membership comprises the
main exploration and mining companies that account for over 80 per cent of
New Zealand
's mine output, and nearly all of its
exploration investment. Its membership has expanded from gold exploration to
encompass exploration and mining companies active in coal, gold, aggregates and
industrial minerals.

The
Association has developed a National Minerals Strategy that determines its
priorities, implemented via a Minerals Industry Advisory Committee. This group
was established six years ago to advise the Associate Minister of Energy on
issues relating to the long term development of the minerals sector in
New
Zealand.