Tivan Unlocks 8,000m Drill Program at Molyhil After Securing Key Approvals
Key Takeaways
- Tivan has secured both NT Government regulatory approval (EML MXP1290-01 VAR001) and a Sacred Site Clearance Certificate from the Central Land Council, removing the two principal gateway conditions blocking Stage 2 drilling at Molyhil.
- The approved Stage 2 program spans 8,000m across approximately 50 holes, designed to generate resource confidence, metallurgical, geotechnical, and hydrogeological data streams required for a feasibility-grade project assessment.
- The Molyhil Scoping Study completed 29 April 2026 delivered a base case pre-tax NPV8 of $534.3 million against a JORC resource of 4.647 million tonnes at 0.26% WO3 and 0.09% Mo.
- In June 2026, Tivan signed Key Terms MOUs with Sumitomo Corporation and ETFS Capital for up to $50 million in stage-gated equity investment, with Tivan retaining an effective 82.5% project interest at FID.
- Both tungsten and molybdenum are listed on the Australian Government's Critical Minerals List, positioning Molyhil within commodity categories attracting strategic and government-backed capital globally.
All-clear secured for Molyhil development drilling
Tivan (ASX: TVN) has secured both final regulatory approval from the NT Government and a Sacred Site Clearance Certificate from the Central Land Council (CLC), establishing the principal environmental and cultural heritage framework required to advance the Molyhil Tungsten Project in the Northern Territory.
Together, these approvals unlock the planned 8,000m, approximately 50-hole Stage 2 development drilling program, allowing Tivan to finalise mobilisation scheduling. The project is located approximately 220km north-east of Alice Springs, adjacent to the company’s Sandover Fluorite Project.
The NT Government approval was granted under Environment (Mining) Licence EML MXP1290-01 VAR001. The Sacred Site Clearance Certificate was issued by the CLC on 10 September 2026, following completion of a work area clearance survey covering the planned drill sites and supporting activity areas, including locations identified for groundwater-monitoring infrastructure.
Approvals of this nature, both government regulatory and cultural heritage, are a necessary gateway before any development drilling can begin. Securing both simultaneously is a meaningful de-risking milestone for the project.
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What this drilling program is designed to deliver
Stage 2 is not a repeat of Stage 1, which focused on limited initial exploration drilling. This program is multidisciplinary and purpose-built to advance the project toward a development decision.
The program is designed to generate four distinct data streams:
- Resource confidence: Increased confidence in the existing Mineral Resource Estimate
- Metallurgical testwork: Data to support processing design and concentrate specifications
- Geotechnical inputs: Pit and infrastructure design data
- Hydrogeological data: Groundwater monitoring to support environmental approvals and mine planning
Drilling will be staged in accordance with project development priorities.
What is a development drilling program, and why does it matter?
Exploration drilling and development drilling serve different purposes. Exploration drilling finds mineralisation, answering the question of whether something is there. Development drilling confirms what has already been found to a standard that supports feasibility studies and mine design.
Feasibility studies require data at a higher confidence level than initial exploration can provide. Development drilling is how companies get there, converting an early-stage resource into a technically de-risked project that can attract project finance and construction decisions.
For investors, the significance is straightforward. Companies that complete development drilling with strong results are in a materially stronger position to secure financing, attract joint venture partners, and progress to construction. Stage 2 at Molyhil is precisely that step.
Project fundamentals and the JV pathway
The Molyhil Tungsten Project hosts a JORC Code (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate of 4.647 million tonnes at 0.26% WO3 (tungsten trioxide) and 0.09% Mo (molybdenum), at a 0.05% WO3 cut-off grade, for 12,100 tonnes of WO3 and 4,400 tonnes of molybdenum.
| Category | Tonnes | WO3 Grade (%) | WO3 (t) | Mo Grade (%) | Mo (t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measured | 1,160,000 | 0.34 | 3,900 | 0.11 | 1,300 |
| Indicated | 1,664,000 | 0.27 | 4,600 | 0.10 | 1,600 |
| Inferred | 1,823,000 | 0.20 | 3,600 | 0.08 | 1,500 |
| Total | 4,647,000 | 0.26 | 12,100 | 0.09 | 4,400 |
Reported at a cut-off grade of 0.05% WO3 and to 150mRL, based on an open pit mining scenario.
The Scoping Study completed on 29 April 2026 delivered a base case valuation (pre-tax NPV8) of $534.3 million. A Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) is now being progressed in parallel to the approvals, development planning, and resource expansion workstreams.
In June 2026, Tivan announced it had signed Key Terms Memoranda of Understanding with Sumitomo Corporation and ETFS Capital, establishing the framework for up to $50 million in stage-gated equity investment to progress and deliver the project, with Tivan to retain an effective 82.5% interest in the project at FID (subject to execution of long-form agreements).
Tivan’s joint venture deal-making has been active across multiple fronts in 2026, with the company also securing a partnership with Murak Rai covering the Baucau and Ossu projects in Timor-Leste as part of a broader strategy to advance its project portfolio through strategic capital and operational partnerships.
Both tungsten and molybdenum are listed on the Australian Government’s Critical Minerals List, and are recognised as critical or strategic minerals by major economies. The two metals are used across the semiconductor, clean energy, defence, and automotive sectors, giving the project meaningful commodity tailwinds.
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Executive chairman’s view — one year of rapid progress
Tivan acquired the Molyhil Tungsten Project on 16 September 2025, making the receipt of these approvals a one-year milestone of rapid project advancement. Executive Chairman Grant Wilson offered the following:
Grant Wilson, Executive Chairman
“Tivan acquired the Molyhil Tungsten Project on 16 September 2025. Over the past year we have committed ourselves to advancing the project development pathway in rapid time, whilst also advancing project facilitation, inclusive of key processess with the Northern Territory Government and Central Land Council, Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders. Our progressive approach is demonstrated by the landmark Community Development Initiative that Tivan agreed with the Central Land Council on 6 March 2026, and the first-in-kind collaboration agreement that Tivan announced with Aboriginal Investment NT on 24 June 2026. Today we are very pleased to announce that the Molyhil Tungsten Project has secured comprehensive approvals from the Northern Territory Government and the Central Land Council to forge ahead.”
The two community milestones Wilson references, the Community Development Initiative with the CLC signed 6 March 2026 and the collaboration agreement with Aboriginal Investment NT announced 24 June 2026, reflect a socially progressive approach to project development in a region where stakeholder relationships materially influence project timelines.
Tivan is now finalising mobilisation scheduling for the Stage 2 drilling program, with the PFS advancing concurrently. The company is transitioning from study phase to active development phase, with the regulatory and cultural heritage framework now firmly in place to support that progression.
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