Sandover: Tivan looks set to walk away from its search for Central Australian silver

An NT-based company will focus on fluorite after its Central Australian silver dream expired. Read what happened.

Territory miner Tivan has all-but closed the door on further silver and lead exploration at its Sandover deposit, but is reporting strong fluorite results at the Central Australian deposit.

In October, Tivan announced the NT Government had approved drilling at the company’s lead and silver prospects.

It followed the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment approval last year of a four-year mining license to drill at the site for Tivan exploration.

Tivan flagged in March 2024 it had identified high-grade lead mineralisation in surface samples at Sandover and the following month announced it had also discovered significant silver mineralisation in rock chips from the site.

Located about 100km north of Alice Springs over about 8000sq km, Sandover has emerged as a Territory exploration base for Tivan, which partnered with Earth AI to identify the lead and silver prospects using artificial intelligence technology.

Grant Wilson, executive chair of Tivan, photographed in Central Australia

Tivan announced via the stock exchange last week that a three-hole drilling program had been completed at the Aileron lead-silver target at Sandover by the company’s alliance partner Earth AI.

“Assays have been received for the drilling with results that do not support further exploration,” Tivan’s ASX statement said.

“Tivan is undertaking a review of the Sandover AI project to inform planning for the year ahead, noting the company’s pathway at the nearby Sandover Fluorite Project.”

Diamond drilling began in early February and concluded in April, consisting of three holes totalling 1396 metres drilled.

“Over the past two years Tivan’s engagement with the Sandover AI Project has enabled us to repair the Company’s reputation in Central Australia,” Mr Wilson said.

“While the assay results at Aileron are not what we had hoped for, the good standing we have achieved will translate to an expedited pathway for the exploration and development of the Sandover Fluorite Project.

The Tivan team at Speewah in Western Australia.

“Our review of the Sandover AI Project will result in decisions within a month. There will be no change to Tivan pursuing a corporate wide strategy of optimising our pathway to cashflow and profitability, while building a portfolio of low-cost development options over the medium term”.

Tivan formed out of the ashes of failed explorer TNG in early 2023, after years of unfulfilled commitments to develop a 6000 tonne a year high-purity vanadium pentoxide mine at Mount Peake.

Soon after its acquisition, Mr Wilson announced Tivan would shift focus from Mount Peake to Speewah in northern Western Australia, while retaining a stake in its Central Australia, where he attended primary school.

Tivan is one of four-companies short-listed to develop projects at Darwin’s Middle Arm development precinct, although Grant Wilson’s plans for a vanadium battery manufacturing plant are years from progressing, if at all.

The company’s immediate plans are to export fluorite to Asia from its Speewah project from Wyndham Port in partnership with Sumitome Corporation, a deal finalised between the two companies in early May.

Mr Wilson has previously said he wants Aboriginal people in the areas Tivan leases and develops to be included in and aligned with the company’s development plans.

In other news, Tivan on Monday reported positive outcomes from its second surface sampling program at the Sandover fluorite project undertaken in April and May, 2025. Further announcements are expected in coming weeks.

Originally published as Sandover: Tivan looks set to walk away from its search for Central Australian silver