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July 17, 2025 – The Speewah fluorite project in Western Australia has secured an additional $3 million from the Australian Federal Government, lifting the total critical minerals grant for the project to $6.4 million. The latest tranche, disbursed to project owner Japan Australia Fluorite Associates (JAFA), will be used to accelerate the definitive feasibility study (DFS) that is now expected to wrap up in late 2026.
This funding is part of the broader $7.4 million International Partnerships in Critical Minerals (IPCM) grant awarded to Tivan in December 2024. The grant agreement was novated from Tivan to JAFA in August 2025, reflecting JAFA’s role as the project owner and vehicle for the incorporated joint venture. A subsequent deed of variation brought forward $3 million of the overall grant to the current period, aligning the milestone schedule with project progress.
“The IPCM grant has made an important contribution to the pre-FID funding pathway for the Speewah Fluorite Project,” said Tivan executive chairman Grant Wilson. “We are pleased that the Department of Industry, Science and Resources has approved the next payment tranche, based upon a review of our material progress through the first half of 2026.”
Speewah is being advanced through an incorporated joint venture with Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corporation and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), alongside project partner ETFS Capital. The involvement of Japanese strategic entities underscores the project’s importance to Japan’s supply chain security for fluorspar, a key input for hydrofluoric acid production.
The new funding follows a major technical milestone achieved in June 2025, when Tivan completed a mini-pilot plant program that produced around 195 kilograms of acid-grade fluorspar grading an average of 98.6% calcium fluoride. That result exceeded the 97% benchmark specification for acidspar and supports Speewah’s potential to supply material for hydrofluoric acid, which is used in semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicle batteries, industrial chemicals, and other advanced technologies.
Product samples have been earmarked for assessment by up to 14 prospective end users, with Sumitomo leading marketing efforts focused especially on the Japanese market. A larger pilot program planned for later this year is expected to test continuous operation and further de-risk the processing flowsheet.
Tivan, Sumitomo, and JOGMEC’s special-purpose subsidiary Japan Fluorite Corporation have also agreed a term sheet covering up to 100% of Speewah’s future production. The proposed arrangement includes an 80% take-or-pay commitment, with the parties targeting a binding offtake agreement in the third quarter of 2026. This structure provides Tivan with strong revenue visibility and de-risks the commercial case for eventual development.
Speewah gained international recognition in March 2025 after it was highlighted in a US-Japan critical-minerals fact sheet, signaling its potential as a non-Chinese source of fluorspar. Given that China currently dominates global fluorspar production and refining, Speewah could serve as a strategic alternative for Western markets, especially the United States and Japan.
Tivan is targeting production of 150,000 tonnes per annum of acid-grade fluorspar from the 2028 financial year, positioning the project as a potential western-aligned supplier. Australia currently has no domestic fluorspar or fluorine production, giving Speewah the opportunity to establish a new sovereign capability from the ground up.
Located in Western Australia’s east Kimberley region, Speewah hosts an indicated and inferred fluorite resource of 27.2 million tonnes at 9.5% calcium fluoride, including a high-grade component of 6.7 million tonnes at 24.6%. Tivan acquired the broader Speewah asset from King River Resources for $20 million in 2023.
Completion of the DFS will provide the next major test of the project’s development case. With the additional funding, Tivan and its partners can maintain the fast-tracked work program as they progress toward a final investment decision, binding offtake, and a pathway to commercial production.
Industry Insight: Fluorine chemicals are critical to the semiconductor supply chain, and with global tensions over mineral dependencies, projects like Speewah are gaining attention from both governments and end-users. The fact that the project is already embedded in a US-Japan cooperation framework gives it a geopolitical tailwind that few other Australian critical mineral projects enjoy.
