07:58 AM EST, 03/04/2025 (MT Newswires) -- OceanaGold ( OCANF ) on Tuesday said it applied for fast-track approval of its Waihi North project in New Zealand.

OceanaGold ( OCANF ) submitted the application under New Zealand's Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, and the company expects the project to be fully permitted under the law by the end of the year.

"The submission of our application for the Waihi North Project under the Fast-track Approvals Act is a significant milestone for us and is a testament to the years of hard work, preparation and studies that have gone into this submission," President and CEO Gerard Bond said.

The company also reported the latest results from the ongoing exploration and resource conversion program at the Wharekirauponga underground project within Waihi North.

Highlights include 6.3 meters at 8.7 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, 1.7 meters at 24.6 g/t gold and

3.5 meters at 14.0 g/t gold.

"Continued growth of Wharekirauponga through drilling and exploring for further discoveries in the district in 2025 is one of the best investments we can make and we look forward to the potential to continue to grow the resource," Bond said.

OceanaGold's ( OCANF ) share price fell 1.8% on Monday to $3.81 on the TSX.