The Northern Territory has a strong pipeline of developing mining projects, at various stages of the feasibility, approvals or financing process. This includes projects for a diverse range of commodities including copper, rare earths, lithium, gold, vanadium, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, zinc, manganese, iron, diamonds, phosphate, potash and salt.
As of March 2022, there were 21 projects in approvals processes. These projects represent a combined capital expenditure of $7.2 billion with the potential to create up to 5,100 jobs in construction and up to 3,800 jobs in operations.
View the Northern Territory Mineral Projects mapPDF (805.1 KB)
View the Potential Mining Developments report PDF (808.4 KB)
Company | Project | Location | Product | Description |
Newmont Mining | Tanami Expansion 2 | Tanami | Gold | Mine expansion |
NRR Mining | Nathan River | Gulf of Carpentaria | Iron Ore | Reopen mine |
ICA Mining | Peko Tailings | Tennant Creek | Fe, Au, Cu, Co | Reopen mine |
Company
Arafura Resources Limited
Contact
Brian Fowler – General Manager Northern Territory and Sustainability
Phone: (08) 8947 5588
Email: arafura@arultd.com
Location
135km north-west of Alice Springs.
Description
New mine. Open cut mining, beneficiation to a mineral concentrate and subsequent chemical processing to rare earth products for export. Additionally a merchant grade phosphoric acid product will be exported.
Product
Rare earths and phosphoric acid
Resource
56 Mt containing 2.6% REO, 12% P2O5
Reserve
29.5 Mt containing 2.9% REO, 13% P2O5
Mine life
38 years based on mining inventory
Approvals
Proposed schedule
Jobs
Capex
$1,056 million (ASX 11 May 2021).
Company
Core Lithium Limited
Contact
Blair Duncan – Chief Operations Officer
Phone: 0448 883 204
Email: bduncan@corelithium.com.au
Location
32km south south-west of Darwin and 36km west north-west of Berry Springs.
Description
Proposed open cut mining operation using conventional mining techniques. The ore is an inert pegmatite which will be processed by crushing, screening and dense media separation to produce a pegmatite concentrate. No chemical processing is required. Product will be transported 88kms by road to Darwin Port for export. Definitive feasibility study completed in April 2019. Upgraded Definitive Feasibility Study in Q2 2021 with FID in Q3 2021 to enable production start in H2 2022.
Product
Pegmatite concentrate (5.5% Li2O)
Resource
2.89 Mt @ 1.48% Li2O at Grants deposit.
Global resource of 14.7million tonnes @ 1.32%Li2O for Finniss Project.
Mine life
Initial 3.5 years (from DFS2019) – BP33 deposit will extend mine life to 7 years.
Approvals
Proposed schedule
Jobs
Capex
$89 million (ASX 26 July2021).
Company
KGL Resources Limited
Contact
Denis Wood – Executive Chairman
Phone: (07) 3071 9003
Email: infor@kglresources.com.au
Location
Approximately 380km by road north-east of Alice Springs.
Description
Reopen old mine based on open cut and underground operation. Ore will be processed via conventional flotation processing facility to produce a copper concentrate. A second product of lead zinc concentrate will also be produced in certain ore zones. Project undergoing further optimisation studies
Product
Copper concentrate with silver and gold credits plus a separate lead and zinc concentrate with silver and gold credits
Resource
22.87 Mt @ 2.04% Cu & 25.7 g/t Ag and 0.25g/t Au (containing 465,000 tonnes Cu, 18.9 million ounces Ag & 187,100 ounces Au)
Reserve
9.4 Mt @ 2.41% Cu, 32.9 g/t Ag & 0.39 g/t Au
Mine life
7.5 years (mine plan based on only 56% of total resource)
Approvals
Proposed schedule
Jobs
Capex
Initial Capex of $200 million (from PFS Dec 2020).
Company
Primary Gold Propriety Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hanking Australia Investment Propriety Limited
Contact
Dr Mark Qiu – Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (08) 6143 6700
Email: qiuym@hanking.com.au
Location
Approximately 90km east of Darwin.
Description
The company recently received the final assessment report of its EIS om the Tom’s Gully Gold Project. The company is currently focused on the Mine Management Plan (MMP) for re-start of the Tom’s Gully Underground Mine. Construction is scheduled to start in the second half of 2020. The company continues doing regional exploration programs and is reviewing all past studies to update to todays economics and gold price. Subject to MMP approval, the company plans to commence underground development and refurbishment operations in H1 2021 subject to mining approvals.
Product
Gold
Resource
Global resource 54 Mt @ 1.03g/t Au (1.8Moz gold)
Ore reserve 775,000 tonnes at 6.9g/t Au (175koz gold)
Mine life
5 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
$62 million
Company
TNG Limited
Contact
Paul Burton – Managing Director
Phone: (08) 9327 0900
Email: peb@tngltd.com.au
Location
235km north of Alice Springs.
Description
Open pit mining and onsite processing to produce a magnetite concentrate. Concentrate railed to processing site near Darwin to produce high purity iron, vanadium and titanium products. New processing technology developed. Definitive feasibility study completed July 2015 and updated in November 2017. Optimised delivery strategy released September 2019.
Product
High purity Vanadium (99% V2O5), Titanium Pigment and Iron oxide product
Resource
160 Mt @ 0.3% V2O5, 5% TiO2, 23% Fe (120 Mt Measured JORC resource)
Mine life
Approximately 37 years
Approvals
Proposed schedule
Jobs
Capex
$824M for mine and refinery (from Optimisation Strategy Sept 2019). TNG aim to deliver revised Capex (and Opex) based on the fully integrated facility during Q2 2022.
Company
Avenira Limited (Minemakers Australia Pty Ltd)
Contact
Brett Clark – Chairman
Phone: (08) 9264 7000
Email: bclark@avenira.com
Location
250km east of Tennant Creek.
Description
Proposed open cut mine with processing on-site using improved hard process (IHP) to produce super phosphoric acid (SPA) @ 70% P2O5.
Phased development with the first production train producing 181,000 t P2O5 per annum, progressively increasing to 0.9 Mt per annum over six year period.
Product
Super phosphoric acid (SPA)
Resource
842 Mt @ 18.1% P2O5(10% cut-off ); 1,406 Mt @ 13.5% P2O5 (5% cut-off )
Mine life
>30 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
Estimated initial capital $350 million (stage 1) increasing to $1.2 billion over six years.
Company
Castile Resources Pty Ltd
Contact
Mark Hepburn – Managing Director
Phone: (08) 9488 4480
Email: mark.hepburn@castile.com.au
Location
Approx 70 kms SW of Tennant Creek
Description
The IOCG Rover 1 deposit will be the first mine to be developed in the Rover Mineral Field located to the south west of Tennant Creek. The Project will involve the development of an underground mine with onsite processing facility and associated infrastructure. A positive Scoping Study was announced in 2010. Commencement of Pre-Feasibility Study in Mar 2020. Recent completion of resource drilling at Rover 1 will result in an upgraded Mineral Resource Estimate and release of the Pre-Feasibility Study in May/June 2022. Environmental, geotechnical and metallurgical studies are in progress.
Phased development with the first production train producing 181,000 t P2O5 per annum, progressively increasing to 0.9 Mt per annum over six year period.
Product
Gold, Copper, Cobalt, Silver, Bismuth and Magnetite
Resource
4.75 million tonnes @ 1.73 g/t Au, 1.63% Cu, 2.30 g/t Ag, 1.2% Cu, 0.11% Bi, 0.08% Co (JORC 2012). Updated Resource released Mar 2022, including a high grade 96.6% magnetite product.
Mine life
To be determined upon completion of Pre-Feasibility Study.
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
TBA
Company
Northern Iron Pty Ltd
Contact
Nathan Doab – Project Manager
Phone: 0438 925 944
Email: nathan@northern-iron.com.au
Location
Approx 50 kms NW of Tennant Creek
Description
Reprocessing of the Warrego Tailings through excavation and processing through a wet magnetic separation plant to produce a magnetite concentrate. Non-magnetic tailings will be dewatered and deposited back into the existing tailings dams and rehabilitated. The process will reduce the tailings by approx. half of the original quantity. No chemical processing or treatment will occur. Magnetite concentrate will be trucked to Argyle Rail Siding (along the Warrego Road) and railed to Darwin Port for export.
Product
Magnetite concentrate (high grade).
Resource
9.11 Mt of tailings (JORC 2004) containing 1.91 Mt Fe @ +67%
Mine life
3-6 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
$48 million
Company
Core Lithium Limited
Contact
Blair Duncan – Chief Operations Officer
Phone: 0448883204 Email:bduncan@corelithium.com.au
Location
Approx 38 kms SSW of Darwin and 5.8 kms SSE of Grants mine.
Description
BP33 (stage 2 of the Finniss Project) is a proposed underground mine involving a box-cut portal to a depth of 60-70m and construction of approx. 2150 metres of decline to access mine production levels over a four year mine life. Ore will be transported approx. 7.5 kms along a purpose built haul road to the Grants open pit mine and processing plant. No chemical processing is required. Product will be transported 88 kms by road to Darwin Port for export.
Product
Pegmatite concentrate (6% Li2O)
Resource
2.3 million tonnes @ 1.4% Li2O (ASX: 26/07/2021)
Mine life
Approx 4 years (from NOI)
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
TBA
Company
Linecrest Pty Ltd
Contact
Rodney Illingworth – Managing Director
Phone: 0439 844 830 Email:rodney@rai.net.au
Location
Approx 180 kms SE of Darwin and 25 kms NE of Pine Creek.
Description
Reopen the Frances Creek Iron Ore Mine.to extract remnant ore from existing open pits. Conventional open pit mining with onsite crushing and screening of DSO and DSM material. No chemical processing or treatment will occur. Ore will be trucked to the nearby Frances Creek rail siding and railed to Darwin Port for export.
Product
Iron ore lump and fines @ ~ 60% Fe
Resource
23 Mt @ 53% Fe
Mine life
Initial mine life of 7 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
US$10M million
Company
Enova Mining Limited (formerly Crossland Strategic Metals Limited)
Contact
Eric Vesel – CEO/Executive Director
Phone: +60199887931 (KL) +61419802839 (Aust)
Email: contact@enovamining.com
Location
Approximately 95km west north-west of Alice Springs.
Description
Potential new mine. Open cut mining and processing through a wet and dry mineral concentrator to produce a high grade (40%+) TREO concentrate with further plans to refine to produce rare-earth group products.
Product
Rare earths carbonate, zircon and possibly other heavy mineral by-products.
Resource
2004 JORC compliant resource study released in 2013. Indicated - 387Mt containing 114,050 tonnes TREO and 195,000 tonnes zircon and inferred - 418Mt containing 121,100 tonnes TREO and 220,000 tonnes zircon.
Mine life
Scoping study released in 2013 based on 20 years + (additional potential).
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
150
Capex
$250 million.
Company
GTGF Australia Limited
Contact
Stuart Anderson – Director
Phone: 0457 314 814
Email: stuart.anderson@gtgfaustralia.com.au
Location
70 kms south of Darwin and 2 kms east of Batchelor.
Description
Potential shallow open pit strip mining operation with on-site processing through simple crushing and screening. Mining is expected to start at 55,000 tonnes per month and increase after 1-2 years to 100,000 tonnes per month. Ore will be trucked to Darwin port for export.
Product
Phosphate DSO rock
Resource
3 million tonnes@ 23% P2O5 (at 12% P2O5 cutoff)
Mine life
Current mine plan based on 3 to 4 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
TBA
Company
Kirkland Lake Gold – NT Mining Operations Pty Ltd
Contact
Mark Edwards – Project Director, NT Operations
Phone: (08) 8982 4444
Email: MEdwards@klgold.com.au
Location
Approx 175kms south-east of Darwin and 20kms north of Pine Creek.
Description
Proposed underground mining operation with onsite processing at existing Union Reefs processing plant. Mining of mineralised trends below the previously mined Union North, Prospect, Lady Alice and Crosscourse Pits. Underground operations will be accessed via a portal and decline from within the existing Prospect Pit. Ore will be processed at existing Union Reefs processing plant.
Product
Gold dore
Ore reserve
Initially 276,089 tonnes containing 39,232 ozs gold.
Mine life
Initially two years
Approvals
Proposed schedule
Jobs
Capex
TBA
Company
Korab Resources Limited
Contact
Andrej Karpinski – Executive Chairman
Phone: (08) 9474 6166
Email: akk@korab.com.au
Location
Approximately 70km south of Darwin and 2km east of Batchelor.
Description
Potential shallow open pit mining operation with on-site processing through simple crushing, screening and sorting. Ore will be trucked to Darwin port for export. Results of the Feasibility Study released in January 2015 and updated in March 2018, September 2018 and April 2019.
Product
Magnesite (Magnesium Carbonate) DSO rock
Resource
16.6 Mt @ 43.2% MgO
Mine life
Approvals
Proposed schedule
Jobs
Capex
Magnesium metal production - $409-422M (from Scoping Study).
$2.5 million (from pre-feasibility study).
Company
Linecrest Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of NT Bullion Pty Ltd)
Contact
Rodney Illingworth – Managing Director Phone: 0439 844 830
Email: rodney@rai.net.au
Location
Approx 180 kms SE of Darwin and 25 kms NE of Pine Creek.
Description
Reopen the Frances Creek Iron Ore Mine.to extract remnant ore from existing open pits. Conventional open pit mining with onsite crushing and screening of DSO and DSM material. No chemical processing or treatment will occur. Ore will be trucked to the nearby Frances Creek rail siding and railed to Darwin Port for export.
Product
Iron ore lump and fines @ 60% Fe
Resource
23 Mt @ 53% Fe
Mine life
Initial mine life of 7 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
US $10 million.
Company
Northern Territory Iron Ore Pty Ltd (NTIO)
Contact
Bill Mackenzie – Managing Director
Email: bill.mackenzie@ntio.com.au
Location
420km south east of Darwin and 150km east of Mataranka.
Description
Conventional open pit mining from Deposits C, W and X. On-site processing will involve conventional crushing and screening, to produce 2-6 Mtpa of saleable iron ore. Ore will be transported by public roads to a purpose built Barge Loading Facility located near the mouth of the Roper River, from where it will be transhipped by barges to Ocean Going Vessels moored offshore in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Product
Iron Ore (2-6 Mtpa)
Resource
>490 Mt @ 42% Fe, including >40 Mt @ 58% Fe
Mine life
>20 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
TBA
Company
PNX Metals Limited
Contact
James Fox – Managing Director and CEO
Phone: (08) 8364 3188
Email: james.fox@pnxmetals.com.au
Location
Approximately 160km south south-east of Darwin.
Description
Re-open the historic Fountain Head mines to establish open cut mining operations based on conventional drill and blast mining techniques using excavators and haul trucks. Ore will be crushed, screened and processed using heap leach or CIL techniques. PNX are working towards formalising documentation for a finance and joint venture for the mining and processing (CIL plant) of ore at Fountain Head.
Product
Gold dore
Resource
2.94 Mt @ 1.7 g/t gold
2.1 Mt @ 1.2 g/t gold (Glencoe)
Mine life
4.8 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
$42 million (PFS June 2021)
Company
PNX Metals Limited
Contact
James Fox – Managing Director and CEO
Phone: (08) 8364 3188
Email: james.fox@pnxmetals.com.au
Location
Approximately 170km south south-east of Darwin.
Description
Re-open the historic Iron Blow and Mount Bonnie mines to establish open cut and underground mining operations and a regional 450,000 tpa processing plant at Fountain Head mine site. Scoping Study completed March 2016 and preliminary feasibility study completed in July 2017. Definitive feasibility study commenced and due in 2020.
Product
Zinc in concentrate, precious metals in concentrate.
Resource
4.15 Mt @ 4.4% zinc, 2.03 g/t gold, 128 g/t silver, 1% lead and 0.3% copper for contained metals of 182 Kt zinc, 271 Koz gold, 17.1 Moz silver, 41 Kt lead and 12 Kt copper
Mine life
6.6 years
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
Approximately $65 million (PFS June 2021).
Company
Company Primary Gold Pty Ltd
Contact
Dr Mark Qiu – Managing Director and CEO
Phone: 0424288016
Email: qiuym@hanking.com.au
Location
Approx 100 kms SE of Darwin
Description
Reopen the Rustlers Roost and Quest 29 mine sites. The proposal will involve open-cut mining and expansion of all existing open-cut pits via conventional truck and shovel methods. No new pita are proposed. The mine sites are approx. 11 kms apart. Ore from both sites will be processed at a new Resin in Leach processing facility located at Rustlers Roost site to produce gold bullion. Ore will be processed at a rate of 3 million tonnes per annum over a 7 year mine life.
Product
Gold dore
Resource
54 million tonnes @ 1.0 g/t Au for 1.8 million ozs
Mine life
7 years
Approvals
Proposed schedule
Jobs
Capex
$350 million
Company
South 32 Pty Limited (GEMCO)
Contact
DK Mukhopadhyay
Email: RRGovernance@South32.net
Location
Approximately 650km south-east of Darwin.
Description
Develop a number of additional quarries on the Eastern Leases, approximately 2km east of the existing mine. Ore will be trucked to the existing GEMCO mine facilities for processing and exported from the existing Milner Bay port.
Product
Manganese (Grade ~43% Mn)
Resource
39 Mt of manganese ore (dry tonnes)
Mine life
Eastern Leases will extend the current operational mine life to FY31.
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
$160 million (from 2015 EIS).
Company
Tellus Holdings Ltd
Contact
Mr Nate Smith - Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (02) 8257 3395
Email: info@tellusholdings.com.au
Location
Approximately 120km south of Alice Springs.
Description
New mine. Development of an underground rock salt mine for industrial and edible salt and using the voids resulting from mining for secure storage of equipment and archives recovery of valuable materials and permanent isolation of difficult to manage wastes including hazardous chemical wastes as listed under the NT Schedule 2 of the Waste Management Pollution Control Regulations.
A surface storage and transfer facility will support operations at the Chandler Facility. Surface facilities include dry salt processing plant, offices, workshops, utilities services and an onsite accommodation. PFS (FEL2) completed in Q3 CY2016. Subject to the outcome of further negotiations regarding the Project’s Indigenous Land Use Agreement, all future work and capital expenditure is currently on hold. If an ILUA is reached, the Tellus Board will consider the remaining Project risks before approving future capital expenditure.
Product
Industrial and edible salts; Storage of equipment and archives; and long term storage, recovery and permanent isolation of difficult to manage chemical wastes.
Resource
309 Mt Halite (NaCl) JORC measured resource = 525 year mine life at an average of 500,000 tonnes per annum.
Mine life
Minimum 25 years with potential to exceed 100 years.
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
$676 million (including financing costs).
Company
Thor Mining PLC
Contact
Nicole Galloway Warland – Managing Director
Phone: (08) 7324 1935
Email: corporate@thormining.com
Location
220km north-east of Alice Springs.
Description
Proposed open pit mining operation with on-site processing by flotation to produce W and Mo concentrate. Definitive feasibility study upgrade completed in August 2018. Letter of Intent signed for tungsten offtake.
Development subject to finance. New exploration licence granted adjacent to project area. Additional drilling being undertaken to increase resource and mine life.
Product
Tungsten (scheelite) and Molybdenum concentrates
Resource
4.7 Mt at 0.28% WO3 and 0.13% Mo (indicated and inferred).
Plus Bonya Copper deposit (230,000 t @ 2%Cu – inferred) (40% Thor).
Reserves
Open cut Ore Reserve of 3.5 Mt at 0.29% WO3 and 0.12% Mo (probable).
Mine life
Initially seven year as open pit, with substantial upside potential from subsequent underground potential and from nearby outcropping Bonya tungsten deposits, and recently announced copper resource at Bonya.
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
$69 million
Company
Verdant Minerals Limited (formerly Rum Jungle Resources Ltd)
Contact
Chris Tziolis – Managing Director
Phone: (08) 8942 0385
Email: ctziolis@verdantminerals.com.au
Location
220km south east of Tennant Creek
Description
New mine – open cut strip mining operations with crushing and screening to produce Phosphate Rock Concentrate for export or conversion to phosphoric acid for export or further conversion to ammonium phosphate fertilizers.
Bankable Feasibility Study (DSO) was completed in May 2018. Takeover by CD Capital in June 2019 & company privatised – currently assessing phosphoric acid production option.
Product
500,000 tpa Phosphoric Acid
Resource
Global resource of 1.145 billion tonnes @ 14% P2O5 (10% cut-off) or 338 Mt @ 18% P2O5 (15% cut-off).
Measured resource of 138 Mt @ 15.7% P2O5 (10% cut-off).
Mine life
25 years plus (Potentially as much as 100 years).
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
Estimate $2 billion
Company
Vista Gold Australia Pty Ltd
Contact
Brent Murdoch – Director and General Manager Australia
Phone: (08) 8941 9105
Email: bmurdoch@mttodd.com.au
Location
250km south of Darwin and 55km north of Katherine.
Description
Reopen the Mount Todd Gold Mine. Conventional open pit mining extracting up to 17.8 million tonnes per annum of ore for onsite processing through newly constructed CIL Plant. Pre-feasibility study and environmental impact statement completed.
Federal approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act was granted in Jan 2018. An update of the pre-feasibility study was completed in Jan 2018. The Mount Todd Agreement between the Northern Territory Government and Vista Gold has been extended until 2023. A further update of the Pre-Feasibility Study released in Sept 2019. Feasibility Study released Feb 2022.
Product
Gold dore (370,000 oz pa)
Resource
7.4 million oz of measured and indicated and 1.7 million oz of inferred
Mine life
19 years (including two years construction plus five years closure/reclamation)
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
US$892 million
Company
Winchelsea Mining Pty Ltd
Contact
Mark Hewitt – CEO Winchelsea Mining
Phone: TBA
Email: mhewitt@wmining.com.au
Location
Approx 650 kms SE of Darwin and 50 kms off the eastern coast of Arnhem Land
Description
Conventional open pit strip mining utilising excavators and dump trucks. Ore will be hauled by dump trucks to mobile crushing and screening units for processing and then to stockpiles adjacent to the barge loading facility. Fine product will be stockpiled in an enclosed shed and lump/coarse product will be stored in the open adjacent to the fines storage shed. Product will be reclaimed by front-end loader and fed onto a conveyor to the BLF where manganese will be loaded on to barges and transhipped to Handymax vessels in the offshore anchorage location.
Product
Lump and fine manganese ore
Resource
18.5 million tonnes @ 20.9 % Mn (Nov 2020 presentation)
Mine life
Estimated mine life of 12 years (May 2021 Referral)
Approvals
Proposed Schedule
Jobs
Capex
$100 million