Resource industry recovers from tough year

By ERWIN CHLANDA

After a tough year of Covid obstacles the resource industry in the NT is embarking on a string of “exciting” projects, according to the Executive Director NT Geological Survey, Ian Scrimgeour.

He was the first speaker at AGES this morning.

There is much interest in exploring the Barkly area that hasn’t been explored in the past.

There are rocks that occur within a few hundred metres below the surface – shallow enough for people to explore for – that are similar to ones near Tennant Creek “and so they have potential,” says Mr Scrimgeour.

“All of the newly acquired geoscience data sets and the government funded drilling that’s been done has suggested the area has potential for copper and gold.

“We’ve seen a whole lot of new companies enter into that area, including some majors, like Newcrest and BHP.”

South-west of Tennant Creek Castile Resources is drilling a gold and copper deposit known as Rover 1.

“The deposit been known about for along time but Castile are now trying to improve the resource and hopefully get in into production.”

Further south the Jervois copper project now has all its approvals in place.

Arafura rare earths near Aileron have had their mining lease grated, but is still looking for finance.

Out west near Kintore similarly promising exploration is also under way by IGO Limited, in joint venture with Prodigy Gold.

“That’s an area that’s never been explored before,” says Mr Scrimgeour.

“They’re finding a lot of encouraging drill results for gold, copper and also nickel.”

PHOTO: Mr Scrimgeour with a survey image of the NT shown this morning by Jane Blevin, of Geognostics.