Academics have launched a guide to help whanau, hapu and iwi make decisions about mining in their territory.
The book, Māori in Mining, outlines the most common types of prospecting, including hydraulic fracturing or fracking.
It also covers legal issues, Māori values, resource consent, and economic benefits.
The manual, which has been created by the University of Otago's School of Business, is packed with images and diagrams.
Researcher Jatharina Ruckstuhl says it's not a dense document aimed at experts.
She says when mining is discussed, some people have a vague picture in their head, rather than knowing, for example, the difference between alluvial and open-cast mining.
Dr Ruckstuhl says those details are spelled out in the guide, along with simple, straightforward statements about the facts of mining.
From 30 October, Māori and Mining can be downloaded for free from http://otago.ourarchive.ac.nz.
