Northern Minerals Limited (ASX: NTU) has secured a new 21-year mining lease covering its Browns Range project in Western Australia’s East Kimberley, significantly expanding the tenure available for development.
The newly granted Mining Lease M80/650 was approved following agreement from Native Title parties and replaces the company’s earlier lease, M80/627, which was voluntarily surrendered.
The new lease more than doubles the previously permitted mining area at Browns Range from 4,923 hectares to 10,458 hectares, incorporating existing exploration ground and including several priority targets for near-term drilling.
Northern Minerals holds 100 per cent ownership of the lease, which has an initial term expiring on 8 September 2046, with the option to extend for a further 21 years.
The company recently lodged its definitive feasibility study for the proposed Browns Range development, which outlined a technically and financially robust rare earths project.
Located in the East Kimberley, Browns Range is considered a globally significant source of heavy rare earths dysprosium and terbium, critical for the production of high-performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicle drivetrains, wind turbines and specialist defence technologies.
Northern Minerals said the expanded mining footprint would strengthen the foundations for progressing the Browns Range project in line with the development pathway outlined in its feasibility study, while allowing continued exploration and project activities across the newly granted lease area.