According to figures in the company’s quarterly report for June, Santana Minerals Ltd expects to bring in that much in government revenue over its proposed Bendigo-Ophir, Tarras, gold mine’s 10-year lifespan.
Current financial projections estimated, based on the spot price of gold used in the study, the company was looking to pay the New Zealand government initial royalty payments of $87m along with $805m in corporate tax.
Mr Jones said it was a "misnomer" to describe the economic contribution from mining as purely about the royalty figure.
The broad revenue, as well as the multiplier effect that such investment generated, contributed to the Crown through various taxes.
Mr Jones said his role "as a politician and as a minister" was to simplify the process so such investments could be up and ready and running in as short a time as reasonable.
"I know it’s a sharp departure, my stance, from the historic indifference or indeed neglect from earlier governments towards the mining sector."
He had travelled to Western Australia and been hosted by "some of the personalities" associated with the Santana Minerals leadership, he said.
"It was evident to me that they’re extremely well connected in the minerals sector and there is an enormous amount of great institutional knowledge.
"They haven’t got the hands of corporate lawyers, they’ve got the hands of miners."
Mining was not for the faint-hearted and Santana Minerals was taking a risk trying to create wealth from a relatively barren landscape, he said.
There was a rich tradition of gold mining in that part of the country but the extractive sector had "sadly been delegitimised".
But he was "keen as mustard" to reform the Crown Minerals Act and prided himself on being "the apostle of regional economic growth".
Last week, Santana Minerals officially listed itself on the New Zealand Exchange (NZX).
Chief executive Damian Spring said this secondary listing would complement its ASX listing, enabling more New Zealanders — particularly from Otago — to "take the opportunity to participate in the largest single gold discovery in New Zealand in over 40 years".
The ability to trade in New Zealand dollars and in the same time zone could not be overlooked, especially if potential future dividends were payable in the local currency.
"This is another step on our path to lodging for resource consents and ultimately to develop the gold mine with the environment, mana whenua and our community being an integral part of that journey."
