The gold in the hills behind Reefton is about to be mined again at the brand new Snowy River mine, established by Australian company Endura.
The Ikamatua mine, on the West Coast, is moving into full recruitment mode, as the development exceeding $400 million dollars, nears completion.
Snowy River Mine recruiter Taila Paraone said they've got about 110 employees on site at the moment.
"We're looking to grow that in the next six months up to 250."
The starting salary is $90,000 per annum.
Development West Coast chief executive officer Heath Milne said: "Salaries on the West Coast are leading the country and it is absolutely about projects like this where we need highly skilled workers."
It's hoped some of the future workforce will return from Australian mines.
"Anyone local would be brilliant joining our team as we already have quite a few locals here," Paraone added.
The site, formerly the home of Blackwater gold mine that closed in the 1950s, has been under development for seven years.
Endura Executive chairman Jake Klein, who has come from Australia to check on the progress, said "it's going really well".
"We're on track to deliver gold by the end of this year which will be a huge milestone and then getting into full production next year."
Once full up and running, with a completion of a $60 million processing plant, it's expected to produce upwards of $300 million dollars worth of gold a year.
Milne said this is "huge for the West Coast".
The gold in the hills behind Reefton is about to be mined again at the brand new Snowy River mine (Source: 1News)
"It's adding to a commodity we've traditionally exported in its raw form."
The excitement is building as they edge closer to December, when they expect to pour the first gold bar. Klein likened it to "holding the Bledisloe Cup".
Klein, who has worked in gold for three decades, said the mine is a major milestone for New Zealand gold, West Coast gold and Endura as a company.
"Once it gets in your blood it stays there, it's infectious. When I started the gold price was around $500 an ounce and its now over $6500 an ounce, so it's really an exciting time to be part of the industry now."
The countdown to their eureka moment is on target for December, with full operations early next year.
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