Mineral exploration activity in the Northern Territory remains strong, especially for gold and copper.
In the 2019-20 financial year, mineral exploration expenditure in the Northern Territory (NT) was $123.0 million, down 11% from the previous year, largely due to a 25% year-on-year drop in the June 2020 quarter due to Covid-19. Growth in the mineral exploration sector in the NT was strong from 2017 to 2019, largely driven by substantial increases in gold and copper-gold exploration.
Mineral exploration expenditure in 2019-20: $123.0 million
Proportion of exploration in greenfields areas: 39%
Granted exploration licences (1 January 2020): 777
