Sandover project gets the green light

Tivan has secured regulatory approval to begin its maiden drilling campaign at the Sandover critical minerals project in the Northern Territory.

This approval, granted by the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment on October 2, provides Tivan with a deemed mining licence under recent legislative changes.

The approval is valid for four years and includes plans to drill at high-grade lead and silver prospects, notably at Aileron Station.

Tivan’s exploration partner EARTH AI made significant discoveries in the second quarter of 2024 through surface rock and soil sampling, returning grades of up to 23.8 per cent lead and 469 grams per tonne (g/t) silver.

This exploration will now proceed with drilling and a geophysical survey, co-funded by grants from the NT Government. Drilling is set to commence in the fourth quarter of 2024.

“Today marks an important step forward for the Sandover project and our exploration alliance with EARTH AI,” Tivan executive chair Grant Wilson said.

“We have made great progress together over 18 months, with Sandover now positioned at the global frontier of technology-driven exploration and our Alliance having earned a social licence to operate.”

Tivan is finalising a mineral exploration deed with the Central Land Council (CLC).

The purpose of the deed is to respect the rights of Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders at Sandover, including cultural heritage considerations.

Tivan’s drilling campaign at Sandover targets five key areas, including lead-silver, copper, and lithium pegmatite discoveries.

A geophysical induced polarisation survey will also be conducted at the Aileron prospect, funded through the NT Government’s Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program.

“We are looking forward to making a start and to progressing the potentially transformative opportunities we have in central Australia,” Wilson said.

“There is much more to Sandover than meets the eye.”