The 2026 Critical Minerals and Gold in the Northern Territory Guide, with gold included for the first time to drive exploration and investment has been released.
Five new commodities - bismuth, iron ore, lead, silver and uranium - have been added to the Territory's critical minerals list, strengthening supply chain security and economic resilience.
Delivered under the $9.5 million per annum Resourcing the Territory Program, the guide supports jobs, investment and long-term economic growth.
The Finocchiaro CLP Government has released the latest version of the Critical Minerals and Gold in the Northern Territory Guide, featuring gold for the first time, to support the critical minerals sector and rebuild the Territory's economy.
The Northern Territory is rich in critical minerals, strategic materials and precious metals that are essential to economic resilience, emerging technologies, defence capability and the energy transition.
The latest guide includes five new additions to the Territory's critical minerals list - bismuth, iron ore, lead, silver and uranium.
The Minister for Mining and Energy Gerard Maley said the guide is a crucial resource to showcase the Territory's exceptional resource endowment and encourage investment.
"We are focussed on rebuilding the economy and our minerals and resources sector plays a critical role in that mission," said Mr Maley.
For the first time, the guide also includes a comprehensive inventory of the Territory's gold resources, making this document the first complete inventory of the Territory's mineral resource base.
"We are backing our strengths and expanding exploration and investment opportunities by including gold in this guide," added Mr Maley.
In the Northern Territory, total value production of gold in 2024-25 is $1.67 billion, with three gold projects in development and two operating mines.
Australian gold is set to become the nation's second-largest export earner, offering significant economic benefits that will help fund essential services and strengthen the national economy.
Gold has underpinned the Territory's mining sector for nearly 150 years, and with a strong pipeline of developing projects that is set to continue.
The Territory also has world-class operating mines for manganese, bauxite and zinc-lead, and a long history of uranium mining.
Beyond established commodities, the guide highlights the next generation of critical minerals projects that will diversify global supply chains, including for including rare earths, copper, bismuth, lithium, graphite, magnesium and tungsten.
Northern Territory Geological Survey representatives will be taking part in the Australia Minerals Critical Minerals delegation at this year's Prospector's & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) event on 1-4 March in Toronto, sharing the guide with PDAC delegates.
PDAC is the world's largest mineral exploration and mining convention, bringing together up to 30,000 attendees and hosting more than 1,100 exhibitors and 700 speakers.
The Critical Minerals and Gold in the Northern Territory Guide showcases the Territory's diverse minerals sector, and is delivered under the NT Government's ongoing $9.5 million per annum Resourcing the Territory Program, which provides exploration grants and free of-charge, precompetitive geoscience data to stimulate, support and de-risk exploration investment.
View the guide here: GEMIS: Critical Minerals and Gold in the Northern Territory 2026 here
