Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Exploration Program

Program Overview:

The Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Exploration Program is a key initiative of the NSW Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy 2024-35. The program encourages more exploration in NSW. It co-funds explorers in NSW to search for deposits of metallic minerals. This includes critical minerals and high-tech metals.

The program aims to support the long-term sustainability of the NSW resources sector. This happens by encouraging mineral exploration and discovery. It explicitly targets Group 1, 6, and 10 minerals under the Mining Act 1992. A focus is placed on NSW Priority Metals, which is identified in the Strategy. The program also aims to strengthen relationships between government and industry. It promotes greenfield exploration and the discovery of new critical mineral resources. This includes investigating potential resources from secondary mine output sources.

Key Grant Details

• Funding Pool: $2.5 million over two years
• Applications Opened: 9 am, Wednesday 16 April 2025
• Applications Close: 5 pm, Monday 30 June 2025
• Successful Recipients Announced: Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Funding Streams and Amounts:

All funding streams require a 50% company co-contribution. Other NSW Government grants cannot be used as co-contributions. A single applicant can receive a maximum of $370,000 across multiple projects.

Exploration Geochemistry:

• Up to $50,000 per project.
• Minimum funding per applicant: $5,000.
• Eligible activities: Sampling programs aiming to identify geochemical anomalies or targets. Examples include soil, stream sediment, vegetation, and groundwater sampling.
• Eligible costs: Survey costs, sampling costs, analysis, and assay costs.

Exploration Geophysics:

• Up to $70,000 per project.
• Minimum funding per applicant: $20,000.
• Eligible activities: Acquisition using geophysical techniques to locate and map geophysical anomalies. Examples include airborne and ground geophysical surveys (magnetics, gravity, electrical methods).
• Eligible costs: Study costs, acquisition, and data processing.

Exploration Drilling – less than 250 metres depth:

• Up to $150,000 per project.
• Minimum funding per applicant: $50,000.
• Eligible activities: Drilling programs that aim to define targets further. These projects must involve exploration drilling activities.
• Eligible costs: Drilling contractor costs, mobilisation and demobilisation, sampling costs (drill hole sampling and assays), and support costs.

Exploration Drilling – greater than 250 metres depth:

• Up to $250,000 per project.
• Minimum funding per applicant: $50,000.
• Eligible activities: Drilling programs with a focus on deep drilling. These projects must involve exploration drilling activities.
• Eligible costs: Drilling contractor costs, mobilisation and demobilisation, sampling costs (drill hole sampling and assays), and support costs.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Applicant Type: Eligible applicants include companies incorporated in Australia, incorporated trustees, associations, co-operatives, partnerships, sole traders, and incorporated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations.
• Ineligible organisations include local councils, Joint Organisations of Councils, Australian or NSW Government agencies, unincorporated associations, and businesses that are insolvent, bankrupt, or subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
• You are not eligible if you are being investigated for breaches under the Mining Act 1992.
• ABN and Title: Applicants must have an Australian Business Number (ABN). You must hold a relevant title in NSW under the Mining Act 1992.
• Location: All projects must be conducted in NSW. They must relate to a resource located in NSW.
• Project Focus: Projects must aim to identify new deposits of Group 1, 6, and 10 minerals under the Mining Act 1992. The focus is on NSW Priority Metals. This includes Rare Earth Elements, Scandium, Cobalt, Copper, and Silver.
• Project Completion: Projects must be completed by 30 September 2027.
• Land Access and Insurance: Applicants must have suitable land access arrangements at the time of application. Evidence of these arrangements is required. Applicants must hold or commit to obtaining public liability insurance of not less than $20 million. They must also have relevant workers’ compensation insurance and any additional specified policies.
• Project Stage: Applications can be made for projects that have already started. However, funding cannot be claimed for work completed before receiving a Letter of Offer. Any financial commitments before a funding deed is executed are at your own risk.
• No Double Funding: Projects must not have received Commonwealth funds for the same tasks. Other NSW Government grants cannot be used as co-contributions.
• Eligible Projects: Projects must align with the program’s objectives and deliver, or have the potential to deliver, significant benefits to NSW.
• Ineligible Projects: Resource definition drilling that is not exploration is ineligible. Rehabilitation of sites, research and academic studies, and exploration for minerals not in Groups 1, 6, and 10 are also ineligible. Geotechnical surveys and works completed before receiving a Letter of Offer are not eligible, and construction materials quarries are not eligible.

Application Process and Assessment:

The program uses an open-competitive application process. This means eligible entities compete for funding. All applicants are assessed against the same criteria.

The assessment process includes:

• Eligibility Screening: Applications are checked against basic requirements, including alignment with the program’s scope and completeness. Applications that fail are rejected early.
• Technical Assessment: Eligible applications undergo technical assessment. Independent assessors with relevant expertise evaluate the applications. Assessors may come from business and academia. They score applications based on criteria and provide feedback on strengths and weaknesses.
• Review Panel Evaluation: A review panel meets to discuss and rank applications. They determine a final overall score for each. An independent probity advisor is present during these meetings.
• Interview Stage: Some grant programs may include an interview stage for top applications. Applicants may respond to feedback and present in more detail.
• Final Decision: The Department makes the final decision on funding offers. This decision considers application quality, review panel comments, and cost. The Assessment Review Panel may consider principles like alignment with the Strategy, total funding available, compliance history, previous funding, viability of outcomes, geographical spread, industry impact, and other relevant factors. They may also consider input from other NSW Government agencies or regulatory bodies.

Post-Approval Requirements:

Successful applicants must enter a Funding Deed. This deed outlines project delivery, reporting, and payment terms. Quarterly reports must be submitted through the SmartyGrants portal. Grant funding payment depends on satisfactory reporting.

How can you get help with your application or assess your likelihood of success?

Consider consulting with a professional grant specialist like Pattens Group. We offer initial assessments to review your business’s eligibility. We will also evaluate project alignment with grant objectives. For guidance and resources, please read our blog post below or visit NSW resources website.