"Everyone's talking about it," goldminer and former West Coast Regional Council chairman Allan Birchfield said.
The National Party repeated last week it was not interested in the policy, which belonged to Labour, promised out of the blue by former prime minister Jacinda Ardern.
Labour was working on drafting legislation to enshrine the mining ban, right up to almost the eve of the general election.
National's potential coalition partner, Act, has long argued against the no new mines proposal, while New Zealand First wants to repeal the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Act 2018 brought in by Labour, which had removed the Crown mandate for coalmines.
NZ First instead wants to empower the Ministry of Energy to actively investigate the potential of former coalmines, rather than allowing the importation of inferior coal from other countries.
The party's policy is also to "give the West Coast access to the Department of Conservation-held stewardship land for sustainable and environmentally approved mining."
It wants to ensure Doc surveys all stewardship land within 10 years and "remove from the conservation estate those lands that should not be so designated".
The post-election mood in the West Coast mining industry is upbeat.
No new mines had threatened to derail much exploration — and potential mining — already under way in the Reefton goldfield, which lies within the Victoria Forest Park.
Mr Birchfield said the end of Labour's mining policy gave the industry some security.
Some miners had been applying for permits in anticipation of a change of government.
International gold prices were also high, adding to confidence. He hoped authorities would "get better" at administering conservation land.
National minerals and resources spokesman Stuart Smith, the Kaikoura MP, said the party’s policy was very clear on no new mines.
"We did not support that policy. That was Labour policy, not a National one. That's the end of it."
"There are very adequate processes to date, environmental processes for any new mines, and that is where it starts and ends."
National did not have any plans to alter the mining sector, but noted it had begun negotiations with potential coalition partners.
Straterra, the minerals industry lobby group, said a Farser Institute survey of mining companies in 2021 found New Zealand's ranking had dropped markedly.
New Zealand had slipped to be placed 70 out of 84, just ahead of Papua New Guinea.
— Greymouth Star
