Santana Minerals (ASX:SMI, NZE:SMI) decided to volunteer a pause period to provide additional data and reports, as well as provide time to workshop conditions with the regulators regarding the fast-track approvals process for the Bendigo-Ophir gold project in New Zealand's South Island, according to Thursday filings with the Australian and New Zealand bourses.

The expert panel will issue a formal request for further information. The firm requested that the panel, its advisors, and the Environmental Protection Authority continue work on the application throughout.

Its shares fell over 5% in recent trading on the Australian bourse, reaching their lowest point in over a year, and over 4% on the New Zealand bourse.