Brought to you by Bulls N’ Bears
Doug Bright
Litchfield Minerals has secured a coveted spot in BHP’s elite 2026 Xplor accelerator program, marking a significant endorsement of its exploration efforts at the company’s Oonagalabi copper-zinc project in the Northern Territory.
BHP Xplor is a globally competitive initiative that supports promising early-stage mineral explorers focused on future-facing commodities essential for the energy transition.
Participants gain US$500,000 (A$718,190) in non-dilutive, equity-free funding, complemented by an intensive nine-month workshop that provides access to BHP’s top-tier technical experts, commercial coaching, operational guidance, exploration frameworks, global networks, and a tailored learning curriculum.
The program culminates in key camps, including a bootcamp in January, a toolkit session in March and a scale camp in June which is designed to build momentum towards the endgame, which focuses on scalability and strategic setup scenarios.
‘Being selected for the Xplor program provides access to industry-leading technical expertise.’
Litchfield Minerals managing director Matthew Pustahya
These workflows are followed by a final showcase in September, where companies can refine their concepts and pitch for additional opportunities or partnerships with BHP.
This year’s cohort is the largest and most diverse yet, with Litchfield standing out among 10 selected explorers from Australia and around the world for its clear, well-supported geological concept in a critical commodity space.
BHP Group exploration officer Tim O’Connor highlighted Litchfield’s strong technical approach, capable team, and disciplined testing methodology as key factors in its selection.
Head of BHP Xplor, Marley Palin, also emphasised the company’s commitment to responsible, systematic project progression, aligning perfectly with Xplor’s goals of providing early-stage explorers with the expertise, tools, and guidance to mature promising ideas.
The recognition validates Litchfield’s systematic work at Oonagalabi, situated about 120km northeast of Alice Springs within the Arunta region’s Strangways Metamorphic Complex.
Litchfield Minerals managing director Matthew Pustahya said: “This is a significant milestone for Litchfield Minerals and endorsement of the exploration model we are advancing at Oonagalabi. To be recognised by BHP, one of the world’s premier mining companies and a global leader in exploration, is a powerful endorsement of our team, the potential of Oonagalabi, and the proactive way we execute and deliver our programs.”
Recent activities at the project have included the company’s first diamond drilling program, ground electromagnetic surveys that have revealed strong electromagnetic responses up to 3000 siemens conductance, induced polarisation (IP) surveys targeting blind extensions and significant intercepts of broad copper-zinc sulphide mineralisation.
The combined results point to a large-scale, multi-phase mineral system that is gaining geological credibility with each round of work. Its characteristics are similar to those of nearby deposits, including KGL Resources’ high-grade Jervois copper-silver-gold project, about 300km northeast of Alice Springs, also in the Arunta region.
The company’s partnership with BHP is likely to fast-track its geological understanding, refine models and sharpen next-phase targeting at Oonagalabi, as it aims to unlock the project’s tier-one potential in copper, zinc, silver, gold and associated critical minerals.
With BHP’s Xplor tailwind, Litchfield looks set to chase discovery with fresh momentum, just as the world scrambles for dependable supplies of critical metals outside China.
Armed with enhanced technical firepower and non-dilutive funding now in hand, Litchfield Minerals appears well-placed to forge ahead with its disciplined exploration strategy and potentially define the next major mineral system in Australia’s Northern Territory.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
