Tivan Clears Key Regulatory Hurdle Ahead of Historic Copper-Gold Drill Program
Key Takeaways
- Tivan has secured Category B environmental classification from Timor-Leste's Autoridade Nacional dos Minerais (ANM) across Baucau Project concessions ZB003 and ZB004, the key regulatory prerequisite for drill planning to proceed.
- Up to six stratigraphic diamond drill holes totalling 1,500 metres are planned at the Scorpion Prospect, with commencement targeted for late October 2026 — representing the first dedicated subsurface copper-gold test in Timor-Leste's history.
- The drill target is underpinned by a polymetallic geochemical anomaly approximately 1,000m x 800m in extent, defined by 70 rock chip samples reported in September 2026.
- The recent ZB004 concession expansion added approximately 50km² to the Baucau Project, including a large regional magnetic anomaly that broadens the exploration upside beyond the Scorpion Prospect.
- Drilling remains subject to ANM acceptance of the Drilling Plan, Environmental Management Plan, and Simplified Environmental Impact Statement — all three documents must be formally accepted before the rig turns.
Tivan clears regulatory hurdle as maiden Timor-Leste drilling inches closer
Tivan Limited (ASX: TVN) has secured Category B environmental classification from Timor-Leste’s National Mineral Authority, Autoridade Nacional dos Minerais (ANM), across Baucau Project concessions ZB003 and ZB004, clearing the key regulatory step required for drill planning to proceed. Drilling at the Scorpion Prospect is scheduled to commence in late October 2026, comprising up to six stratigraphic diamond drill holes for up to 1,500 metres.
This is a historically significant moment for the country: the program represents the first dedicated subsurface test for copper-gold in the history of Timor-Leste. The Baucau Project sits approximately 123km east of the Timorese capital Dili and spans three granted concessions.
| Item | Detail | Status | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental classification | Category B, across ZB003 and ZB004 | Secured | 25 September 2026 |
| Diamond drill holes | Up to 6 stratigraphic holes | Planned | Late October 2026 |
| Total drilling metres | Up to 1,500 metres | Planned | Late October 2026 |
| Concessions covered | MEL2023-CA-ZB003 and MEL2023-CA-ZB004 | Granted | Active |
| Campaign duration | 5–6 weeks | Planned | From late October 2026 |
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What the Scorpion Prospect drill program is targeting
Stratigraphic diamond drill holes are designed to gather subsurface geological information to confirm and refine exploration targets. They build a picture of what lies beneath the surface — depth, structure, and mineralisation — rather than immediately declaring a mineral resource.
The case for drilling at the Scorpion Prospect rests on a compelling surface geochemistry result. Assays from 70 rock chip samples identified a polymetallic geochemical anomaly approximately 1,000m x 800m in extent (reported in the ASX announcement of 7 September 2026). Surface anomalism establishes a target; drilling provides the first subsurface test of that target.
Adding further exploration upside to the program, the recent ZB004 concession expansion (announced 15 September 2026) added approximately 50km² to the Baucau Project, including a large regional magnetic anomaly. Key metrics at a glance:
- Anomaly size: approximately 1,000m x 800m
- Rock chip samples completed: 70
- ZB004 expansion area added: approximately 50km²
- Target commodities: copper and gold
Logistics, approvals, and what comes next
Drill commencement remains subject to ANM acceptance of Tivan’s Drilling Plan, Environmental Management Plan (EMP), and Simplified Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). All three documents must be formally accepted before drilling can commence.
Practical groundwork is already underway. A man-portable drill rig is to be transported from Indonesia to Timor-Leste by barge, and Tivan’s geology team has conducted extensive ground-truthing exercises over the past month in preparation for drilling. Casa Tivan, the company’s exploration compound in Baucau, will serve as the staging ground and core sample processing facility for the campaign.
The Category B approval pathway also establishes a framework that can support future drilling campaigns across Tivan’s broader Timor-Leste portfolio, subject to project-specific plans and approvals. The remaining steps to commencement are:
- ANM acceptance of Drilling Plan, EMP and SEIS
- Finalisation of drill collar locations
- Contractor engagement and mobilisation planning
- Barge transport of man-portable rig from Indonesia
- Cultural ceremony with community leaders and government representatives
- Drill commencement — late October 2026 target
Community engagement has been a consistent thread throughout the project. Tivan has been building relationships with local communities, traditional leaders, and government stakeholders since acquiring the project in February 2026, and a cultural ceremony is planned to mark drill commencement.
The Murak Rai joint venture, secured in August 2026, brought a local Timorese partner into the Baucau and Ossu projects, providing the community relationships and regulatory familiarity that underpin Tivan’s stakeholder engagement approach.
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Executive Chairman’s take
Grant Wilson, Executive Chairman, Tivan Limited
“Tivan is very pleased to have secured Category B environmental classification at the Baucau Project in good time. We will continue to work closely with ANM in the weeks ahead to finalise the approval pathway, enabling Tivan to launch our maiden drilling campaign in Timor-Leste in late October. We are working closely and in parallel with the local community and will ensure there is strong stakeholder participation in this historic event.”
With regulatory clearance secured, community alignment active, and logistics well advanced, Tivan is now in the final stages of preparation for an exploration milestone that carries genuine historical weight. For investors tracking the company’s Timor-Leste strategy, the late October commencement target represents the first real subsurface data point in what could be a multi-campaign exploration story.
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