Lithium
Prospectivity
The Territory has significant lithium resources and exploration potential associated with spodumene-bearing pegmatites in the Bynoe pegmatite field, located close to the port of Darwin, where the Territory’s first lithium mine was in production till June 2024.
Ongoing exploration by multiple companies continues to grow the resource base in the Bynoe field. Core Lithium Ltd, Lithium Plus Minerals Ltd, Ragusa Minerals Ltd, Charger Metals NL, Evergreen Lithium Ltd and DeSoto Resources Ltd are having early-stage exploration success for lithium in the Pine Creek Orogen, including the Bynoe field. Lithium Plus Minerals have a Mining Lease granted on the Lei deposit and have commenced studies to support the submission of environmental and mining approvals.
Numerous earlier stage exploration projects are also underway in the Barrow Creek and Anningie pegmatite fields in the Aileron Province of Central Australia. Askari Metals Ltd, Australasian Metals Ltd, Encounter Resources Ltd, Core Lithium Ltd, Eastern Metals Ltd, Lithium Springs Ltd, Oceana Lithium Ltd and Tivan Ltd are exploring in the Aileron Province in central Australia including the Barrow Creek and Anningie pegmatite fields. Indications of new spodumene-bearing pegmatites in the Reynolds Range, west of Ti Tree, have recently been announced by iTech Minerals Ltd who have since formally commenced a $2 million farm-in joint venture with SQM Australia Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the major Chilean lithium producer Sociedad QuÍmica y Minera de Chile (SQM).
Download the Lithium opportunities factsheet PDF (1.2 MB).
Projects
Core Lithium Ltd commenced production at the Territory’s first lithium mine at the Finniss project near Darwin in late 2022. Mining has progressed at the Grants open pit mine with production guidance of 90–95 kt of spodumene concentrate in 2023/24, plus 46 kt of lithium fines. Concentrate is trucked 88 km to Darwin Port for export. The operation went into care and maintenance in June 2024. Core Lithium conducted an extensive exploration program in 2024, supporting the conversion of additional Mineral Resources to Ore Reserves in 2025 and completion of a restart study in 2025. In September 2025, Core Lithium announced all spodumene offtake is unencumbered and available for project partners or spot sales. Most recently, Core has focused on strategies to advance an FID and operational readiness.
| Geological Province | Name | Resource | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek Orogen | Finniss | 48.2 Mt @ 1.26% Li2O (global resource) | Core Lithium Ltd |
| Geological Province | Name | Resource | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek Orogen | BP33 | 10.5 Mt @ 1.53% Li2O (included in FInniss global resource) | Core Lithium Ltd |
Lithium Plus Minerals have a large holding in the Bynoe pegmatite field and are developing plans quickly for the Lei deposit. An economic assessment of the potential development of the Lei deposit is underway.
| Geological Province | Name | Resource | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek Orogen | Lei | 4.09 Mt @ 1.43% Li2O | Lithium Plus Minerals Ltd |
| Geological Province | Name | Resource | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek Orogen | Grants (Finniss) | 2.32 Mt @ 1.45% Li2O | Core Lithium Ltd |
| Carlton (Finniss) | 6.34 Mt @ 1.30% Li2O | ||
| Hang Gong (Finniss) | 3.46 Mt @ 1.16% Li2O | ||
| Lees (Finniss) | 11.2 Mt @ 1.14% Li2O | ||
| Booths (Finniss) | 3.24 Mt @ 1.02% Li2O | ||
| Ah Hoy (Finniss) | 4.64 Mt @ 1.31% Li2O | ||
| Sandras (Finniss) | 1.73 Mt @ 0.89% Li2O | ||
| Penfolds (Finniss) | 1.36 Mt @ 1.24% Li2O | ||
| Bilatos (Finniss) | 1.92 Mt @ 1.03% Li2O | ||
| Seadog (Finniss) | 1.41 Mt @ 1.18% Li2O |
| Geological Province | Name | Exploration results | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek Orogen | Finniss | BP33: 90.17 m @ 1.80% Li2O Ah Hoy: 70 m @ 1.40% Li2O Blackbeard: 63 m @ 1.67% Li2O Seadog: 78 m @ 1.3% Li2O | Core Lithium Ltd |
| Lei | 50 m @ 1.83% Li2O | Lithium Plus Minerals Ltd | |
| Perseverance | 19 m @ 1.58% Li2O |
More information
- Lithium GEMIS search
- Rawlings (2019). Update on the Finniss lithium project. AGES 2019 Proceedings.
- Rawlings (2017). Lithium-rich pegmatites of the Bynoe field. AGES 2017 Proceedings.
- Frater (2005). Tin-tantalum pegmatite mineralisation of the Northern Territory. NTGS Report 16.
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