Forest and Bird has released details of the government's controversial plans to mine conservation estates.

Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee is refusing to confirm that the plans show 7,000 hectares of Schedule Four of the Crown Minerals Act protected land in the West Coast's Paparoa National Park near Inangahua, on the Te Ahumata Plateau on Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula are set to be targeted.

Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell says the information was given to the organisation by a trustworthy source.

"I think they clearly understand just how sensitive this is and it may well be that things change again when they are finally released, but this gives a sense of what it is that (the government) is likely to do, versus what they think they can get away with."

Mr Hackwell says the areas identified have outstanding ecological and landscape value and rare native wildlife and pristine wilderness will be put at risk if mining goes ahead.

"The Prime Minister and (Energy Minister) Gerry Brownlee have already made noises to the effect that they wouldn't be going into any sensitive conservation areas. It would only be poor areas. These area that we have (identified), that we know they're looking at very carefully, all of them are really significant.

?We?re not talking about gorse-covered hillsides with the odd tree in these areas. We are talking about rare native Hochstetter?s frogs, endangered brown teal, mature forest and pristine wilderness areas.?

Mr Hackwell says the leaked plans make a lie of what the government has said about its plans for mining so far.