Gold explorers, producers and geology specialists from Otago are among the 90 speakers presenting papers alongside other keynote presentations, including those from Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder, Oceana Gold chief executive Steve Orr, L&M Mining chairman Geoff Louden, Crown Minerals and GNS Science, and Associate Minister of Energy Harry Duynhoven.
The annual conference, on minerals exploration and mining around New Zealand, includes field trips through the North Island's central volcanic plateau, Newmont's Waihi mine and around Rotorua.
The southern exploration and production areas visited include those of Oceana Gold, Glass Earth Gold and Underworld Resources in Otago.
Conference organiser Roger Gregg said the number of papers being presented this year had doubled to 90, largely because of the increasing interest in offshore minerals, such as sulphide nodules on the sea bed and also a rising presence of commercial interests in the sector, including the New Zealand Stock Exchange, fund managers, Diversified Investments, McDouall Stewart and Campbell MacPherson.
Registrations were expected to reach a branch conference record of 320, he said.
A keynote guest and speaker is former New Zealander, Julian Hanna, the chief executive of nickel sulphide producer Western Areas, based in Western Australia.
Mr Hanna was earlier in the month named Digger of the Year at Australasia's largest mining conference, Diggers & Dealers, in Kalgoorlie.
Mr Gregg said Mr Hanna had taken the company from exploration, to capital raising and production and would provide an insight into taking a mine from an idea through to the mining stage.
Western Areas, listed on the Australian and Toronto exchanges, operates the Forrestania nickel project, 400km east of Perth.
It is one of the highest grade nickel deposits in the world, and is estimated to contain more than 100,000 tonnes of nickel.
Separate presentations include an update on coal, gas and coal bed methane in the South by L&M Mining, Pike River Coal's hard coking coal developments on the West Coast, modelling of Otago and Canterbury gold deposits and the $4 million airborne surveys of Glass Earth Gold around Otago last year.
Business reporter Simon Hartley is a guest of AusIMM.
