The Western Australian Government has announced the successful applicants for round 27 of the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) co-funded drilling program and series five of the Energy Analysis Program (EAP).
The EIS is an initiative created by the State Government in April 2009 which aims to encourage exploration in Western Australia for the long-term sustainability of the state’s resources sector.
In July 2019 the EIS was funded on an ongoing basis of $10 million per year using funds raised through Mining Tenement Rents. The funding was increased two years later to $12.5 million per year.
The EAP is a program under the EIS initiative designed for petroleum and geothermal companies. The program aims to make funding accessible for analysing existing state resources to better understand petroleum and geothermal systems.
The WA Government has announced 41 exploration projects will be funded with $7 million worth of grants, with 20 of these drilling projects looking for battery minerals. Three EAP studies will also receive $120,500.
The successful EAP grants were led by biostratigraphic studies in the central Perth Basin.
Minister for Mines and Petroleum Bill Johnston said the latest round of the EIS shows that mineral exploration companies remain firmly focused on WA.
“WA is emerging as a global battery and critical mineral hub, and this success would not be possible without the determined efforts of the exploration companies operating in this state,” Johnston said.
“The EIS continues to support major mineral discoveries that drive new projects, create jobs and deliver economic growth to regional WA.”