Until a permit is approved or rejected there is no news to...

Until a permit is approved or rejected there is no news to announce.
The Green Coalition Government is opposed to mining on principle and the Coalition has a moratorium on any new mining in conservation areas. NTL has recently had a permit application rejected for its Rahu prospect on those grounds.
I have not established if OGC wants to move mining into any conservation area but their exploration map covers a lot of areas around Waihi and further north on the Coromandel peninsula where there is a lot of conservation land.
I surmise that the 18 months you refer to relates to the timing of the next general election when there is a chance of getting rid of the Coalition Government.