The Northern Territory Geological Survey defines mineral projects as follows.
Project lifecycle
Development stage
Project status
Criteria
Mines
Operating mine
Product is being produced and stockpiled or sold
Care and Maintenance
Mining operations suspended, but with potential to resume production in the future
Closed mine
Mining has ceased and rehabilitation underway or complete
Projects
Developing project
In construction
Financial close reached, full construction underway
Approvals in place
Mining and environmental approvals granted from DITT and DEPWS
In approvals process
Development approvals in progress following referral to NT EPA or submission of mining MMP
Under feasibility
Scoping / feasibility study underway or completed, but no development approvals submitted
Exploration
Advanced exploration
JORC resource
JORC Mineral Resources in place
Early exploration
Exploration results
Prospect with significant recent drilling results but no JORC Resource
Mine classification
New greenfields mine
Newly developed mining operation in an area with no historical mining activity
New brownfields mine
Newly developed mining operation in an area that has undergone historic mining
Reopen mine
Recommencement of mining operation utilising existing open pits or underground workings (including from care and maintenance)
Processing of mine waste
Reprocessing of mine waste (dumps, tailings). Could be associated with reopening mine, brownfields mine or mine closure
Mine expansion
Expansion of an existing mining operation
