NFM Locks In High-Impact Drill Targets at Harts Range with Government Backing
New Frontier Minerals has finalized key drill targets for Heavy Rare Earth Elements, Niobium, and Uranium at its Harts Range Project, supported by a $59,000 Northern Territory government grant and progressing towards a maiden drilling campaign.
- High-priority drill targets identified at Cusp, Bobs, Paddington, Westminster, Old Trafford, and Bank prospects
- 2,000m–3,000m Reverse Circulation drilling campaign planned pending regulatory approvals
- Received $59,000 grant from Northern Territory Geological Survey to support drilling costs
- New tenement application (EL34147) lodged to expand exploration footprint
- Pending assay results to validate promising visual mineralization observations
Strategic Drill Targets Finalized
New Frontier Minerals Limited (ASX, NFM) has reached a pivotal milestone at its Harts Range Project in the Northern Territory by finalizing a suite of high-priority drill targets. Following an intensive field campaign in June 2025, the company’s geology team identified key prospects including Cusp, Bobs, Paddington, Westminster, and the newly discovered Old Trafford and Bank prospects. These sites are earmarked for drill testing to explore mineralization of Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE), Niobium, and Uranium; critical commodities underpinning emerging technologies and energy sectors.
Advancing Towards Maiden Drilling Campaign
With targets locked in, NFM is actively reviewing drilling contractor proposals and progressing regulatory approvals to fast-track a Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling campaign spanning 2,000 to 3,000 meters. The campaign, anticipated to commence in the third quarter of fiscal 2025, represents a critical inflection point for the project’s advancement from exploration to resource delineation. Chairman Gerrard Hall emphasized the potential value creation for shareholders as the company moves from surface sampling to subsurface testing.
Government Support and Expanded Tenure
Reflecting strong government backing, NFM secured a $59,000 grant from the Northern Territory Geological Survey’s Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program, part of the Resourcing the Territory initiative. This funding offsets a significant portion of the drilling costs, reducing financial exposure for the company. Concurrently, NFM lodged an application for an additional 15.79 square kilometers of tenement (EL34147) south of its existing granted tenure, broadening its exploration footprint and enhancing the potential for new discoveries within the Harts Range mineral province.
Encouraging Field Observations Await Assay Confirmation
Recent fieldwork uncovered notable mineralization signatures, including samarskite fragments; an indicator of uranium presence; at the Old Trafford and Westminster prospects, with geiger counter readings up to 8 μSv. The Bank prospect revealed copper mineralization with visual malachite grades estimated between 0.5% and 3%. While these visual estimates are promising, NFM cautions that laboratory assays, expected within 2-3 weeks, are essential to confirm the grade and economic viability of these occurrences.
Strategic Context Amid Global Critical Minerals Demand
The timing of NFM’s exploration push aligns with heightened geopolitical interest in diversifying supply chains for critical minerals, particularly Heavy Rare Earth Elements and Uranium. U.S. government policies aimed at reducing reliance on China for these materials and accelerating nuclear power technologies underscore the strategic importance of the Harts Range Project. NFM’s disciplined approach, supported by recent capital raises and government grants, positions it to capitalize on this evolving market landscape.
Bottom Line?
As NFM prepares to drill, the market will keenly watch assay results and regulatory progress to gauge the project’s true potential.
Questions in the middle?
- Will upcoming assay results confirm the high-grade mineralization suggested by visual sampling?
- How quickly can NFM secure regulatory approvals and appoint a drilling contractor to commence the campaign?
- What impact will the expanded tenement EL34147 have on the overall resource potential at Harts Range?
