The Northern Territory is rich in mineral commodities and is a long-standing resources supplier to world markets.
The Territory’s strengths are on non-ferrous metals, critical minerals and precious metals.
Why the Territory
- Strong minerals prospectivity
- Globally competitive solar irradiance supporting green energy powers refining and processing
- Closest Australian port to major training partners with bulk minerals loader.
The Territory
- Supplying 15% of world’s manganese demand
- Australia’s largest undeveloped rock phosphate deposits
- One of the largest deposits of zinc-lead in the world.
The Territory has a strong pipeline of emerging mining projects that is set to grow and diversify the sector into new commodities and regions.
Vast areas of the Territory remain underexplored, with new geoscience data highlighting the potential of regions with no outcropping geology.
Emerging leader in critical minerals
The Northern Territory is well placed to become an important new player in global supply chains for the critical minerals that are required for new technologies and the energy transition.
The Territory has prospectivity for 17 international critical minerals and geological potential for a further 12.
- World-class manganese and zinc production
- Emerging lithium producer
- Australia’s first integrated rare earths mine and separation plant, capable of supplying 5% of global supply of Neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr).
The Northern Territory’s Critical Minerals
The Northern Territory’s list of critical minerals are those minerals considered critical or strategic by Australia and/or key trading partners for which the Territory has defined mineral resources.
The Territory’s defined mineral resources include Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources as reported under the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.
Of the Northern Territory’s 17 critical minerals, 12 are on the Australia’s critical minerals list and 4 are on Australia’s strategic materials list. Most are also on critical or strategic materials lists of key trading partners such as USA, UK, EU, Japan, India and South Korea.
Critical Minerals in the Northern Territory
- Aluminium
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Gallium
- Graphite
- Lithium
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Molybdenum
- Nickel
- Phosphate
- Rare earth elements
- Titanium
- Tungsten
- Vanadium
- Zinc
- Zirconium
Emerging critical minerals in the Northern Territory
- Antimony
- Bismuth
- Fluorine
- Germanium
- High purity alumina
- Niobium
- Platinum-group elements
- Scandium
- Silicon
- Tantalum
- Tellurium
- Tin
Marine Industry Park
A marine and offshore industries servicing hub for northern Australia located in Darwin.
Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct
A master-planned industrial precinct with a focus on renewable energy, critical minerals processing and low-to-zero emissions fuels.
Major project status
Local Jobs Fund
Territory Infrastructure Loans
National Reconstruction Fund Corporation
Resourcing the Territory Exploration Grants
The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility
Core Lithium
Core Lithium has applied for a co-investment fund through the Local Jobs Fund to accelerate the development of the Finniss lithium project south of Darwin.
Global mining giant invests in Tennant Mining
Global investment strengthens Tennant Creek’s mining future.
Large-scale gold mine set to reopen
Mining is set to return to the Territory’s former centre of gold production as prices hit record highs.
Key Middle Arm proponent pens major deal
Australia’s Northern Territory project Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct has moved a step forward with one of its key proponents signing a deal with a Fortune Global 500 company.
Confidence in NT Resources Sector Soars
The NT Resources sector is growing rapidly with a record number of Resourcing the Territory Program recipients.
Securing the best value for Territory resources
Northern Territory Government secures the best economic gain generated through mining with a change to how mineral royalties are calculated.
Quarterly Investment Bulletin
Welcome to Investment Territory’s Quarterly Bulletin, providing the insights, project updates and progress from Australia's Northern Territory.
Find out more
Resourcing the Territory
Resourcing the Territory program is a program to fund and support resources exploration in the Territory.
Critical minerals in the Territory 2024
Download the Territory Critical Minerals Prospectus.
Online geoscience information systems
Access a range of geoscience information systems.
Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
Minerals and energy titles, exploration, geoscience information, mining authorisations, reporting and laws.
Australian critical minerals prospectus (PDF)
Details for advanced critical minerals projects in the Territory.
Northern Territory Resources
Find out how the Territory’s mining and resources sector is underpinned by a world-class regulatory regime.