Tivan Secures $150K Boost for Sandover Fluorite Drilling and Testing
Tivan Limited has received $150,000 in exploration grants from the Northern Territory Government to advance its promising Sandover Fluorite Project, supporting maiden drilling and metallurgical testwork.
- Northern Territory Government awards $150,000 in grants to Tivan
- Funding supports maiden RC drilling and early metallurgical testwork
- Sandover Fluorite Project located 230km northeast of Alice Springs
- Project targets both metspar and acidgrade fluorspar production
- Environmental approvals and Indigenous engagement underway
Government Grants Accelerate Sandover Exploration
Tivan Limited (ASX:TVN) has secured two exploration grants totaling $150,000 from the Northern Territory Government’s Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program. This funding marks a significant step forward for the company’s Sandover Fluorite Project, located approximately 230 kilometres northeast of Alice Springs in central Australia.
The grants will co-fund Tivan’s maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling program with $100,000 and provide $50,000 towards early-stage metallurgical testwork. These activities are critical to advancing the project from surface sampling success to a more detailed understanding of the deposit’s scale and quality.
A Project with World-Class Potential
The Sandover Project has already demonstrated promising results, with previous surface sampling campaigns returning assays consistent with a world-class fluorite deposit. Fluorite, used in a variety of industrial applications including steelmaking and chemical manufacturing, is in growing demand globally.
Tivan is pursuing two potential pathways – an expedited route producing metspar with calcium fluoride content above 80%, and a traditional approach targeting acidgrade fluorspar exceeding 97% purity. Both products have distinct markets and pricing dynamics, offering flexibility in commercialisation strategies.
Progressing Approvals and Community Engagement
Alongside technical work, Tivan is advancing environmental approvals, including applying for a mining licence from the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security. Engagement with Traditional Owners and Native Title holders is being led by Executive Chairman Grant Wilson, in partnership with the Central Land Council, to ensure cultural heritage and sacred site clearances are respected.
Assay results from the latest surface sampling are expected imminently, while the geology team plans to mobilise to Sandover later in the year following completion of drilling at the Speewah Fluorite Project. These developments will provide further clarity on the project’s potential and inform the planned scoping study targeted for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Looking Ahead
Tivan’s receipt of government funding underscores the strategic importance of the Sandover Fluorite Project within the Northern Territory’s resource landscape. With exploration activities ramping up and community engagement ongoing, the company is positioning itself to unlock value from what could be a significant fluorite resource in central Australia.
Bottom Line?
As drilling and testwork advance, Tivan’s next assay results will be pivotal in shaping the Sandover Project’s future trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the upcoming assay results reveal about the deposit’s size and grade?
- How will environmental and cultural heritage approvals impact the project timeline?
- Which commercial pathway, metspar or acidgrade fluorspar, will prove more viable?
