Tivan strikes silver in Central Australia’s Sandover field

A new silver strike has added value to a Central Australian field bursting with surface minerals. Read what’s new.

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

Emerging battery manufacturer Tivan has discovered silver at its Central Australian Sandover field metres from the site of a large lead deposit identified earlier this year.

Tivan posted with the ASX on Tuesday morning it had identified the large silver reserve at Aileron Station, about 250m south of the high-grade lead deposit identified by Tivan’s exploration partner Earth AI in February.

Executive chairman Grant Wilson said Tivan is now “prioritising planning and approvals” for a drill program to continue testing for high-grade lead and silver to begin within months.

The company’s ASX post said both finds are situated on a north-south extruding ridge line, within an outcropping area of 1km by 500m.

The ridge “displays prominent signs of hydrothermal activity”, Tivan’s statement said.

The marker highlights the lead deposit, which shares a ridge with extensive surface silver.

Tivan said silver grades up to 469 grams per tonne were identified from surface rock sampling.

Speaking to the NT News, Mr Wilson said the silver strike’s surface mineralisation was “exceptional”.

“We will find out more in the next couple of weeks but we know it’s a very big system,” Mr Wilson said.

“That whole range appears to be mineralised. The question is, what’s beneath the surface and the geological source for such an unusual discovery.

“Surface mineralisation in Australia is extremely uncommon in this day and age and certainly to this grade, and with the silver discovery we now know the field is polymetalic. Lead and silver are typical bedfellows and so is zinc.”

About a third of silver extracted is used for jewellery, half is used for industry such as solder and electronics and about 10 per cent for energy transmission, which Mr Wilson expects to expand in coming years.

Grant Wilson, executive chair of Tivan, in Central Australia

“Silver is a particularly welcome addition, given its importance to the energy transition and its high degree of financialisation,” he said.

“While it remains early on at Sandover, we reiterate our support for Earth AI’s highly systematic and path-breaking approach to exploration.

“If we are looking at a historic discovery, it will durably alter the trajectory ahead for Tivan, along with the socio-economic contours of Central Australia.

“The field spans an area of 1km by 0.5km, with prominent signs of hydrothermal activity and four additional lead-enriched samples”.

“As previously noted, the lead and silver discoveries at Aileron are situated approximately 5km to the west of the Ghan Railway, on Aileron Station. In the event that a mineral resource is successfully defined, the proximity to rail will afford outstanding logistic efficiencies in support of project development.”

Tivan wants to develop a vanadium electrolyte battery manufacturing plant in Darwin’s Middle Arm using vanadium and titanium from its Speewah deposit in the Kimberleys.

In March Tivan announced a “potentially historic” high-grade lead strike at Sandover with Earth AI.

Tivan reported at the time the field spanned an area of 1km by 500m, with “prominent signs of hydrothermal activity and four additional lead-enriched samples”.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The silver strike comes on the first day of a critical minerals conference in Darwin featuring industry leaders worldwide to discuss critical mineral production, supply chain resilience and economic security.

Convened by the Australian Policy Institute, the Darwin Dialogue began Tuesday and features industry representatives from Australia, Japan, South Korea and United States.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said the event acknowledged the NT’s future as a critical minerals supplier.

“The Darwin Dialogue 2024 brings together 60 leaders and key representatives … to discuss critical mineral production, supply chain resilience and economic security,” Ms Lawler said.

“The Territory is a key player when it comes to the global supply chains for the critical minerals required for new technologies and the energy transition.

“This summit cements our position on the national stage.”