
Hawk secured a heritage agreement, clearing the way for drilling at its Olympus scandium project in WA. The cultural survey is the last approval milestone before early Q3 field work.
Hawk Resources (ASX:HWK) crossed a key approval threshold this week. The company executed an agreement for mineral exploration in Ngaanyatjarra lands in Western Australia, clearing the way for a cultural heritage survey at its Olympus scandium project.
The survey will run over three days. Hawk expects it to provide traditional owner clearance for soil and rock sampling and geophysical surveying, along with auger and air core drilling. If the soil verification sampling confirms the existing anomaly – a 500 parts per million scandium soil anomaly across a four by seven kilometre area – the company will move to detailed soil sampling and then initial drilling.
The project covers two exploration licences, E69/3987 and E69/3988, totalling roughly 309 square kilometres. Hawk acquired an option to earn up to 80% of the project in October 2025.
The company also needs consent from Western Australia's Ministers for Mines and Aboriginal Affairs. The Minister for Mines must approve before Hawk submits a Program of Work. The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs consents to a Mining Entry Permit on recommendation from the Aboriginal Lands Trust. Hawk has pursued both approvals in parallel with the survey clearance.
Managing Director Scott Caithness said the agreement for mineral exploration marks the final traditional owner approval milestone before exploration begins. He noted the process has taken just four months from first engagement with the Ngaanyatjarra Council. "Once completed, this approval process will have taken only four months from Hawk's first engagement with the Ngaanyatjarra Council," Caithness said. "The final steps ahead of getting exploration underway are the approvals of the Ministers for Mines and Aboriginal Affairs, which Hawk has been pursuing in parallel with the Survey clearance. These are expected early in Q3, CY26."
Hawk anticipates survey clearance this month, pending ministerial consents. On-ground exploration is scheduled for Q3 CY26.
The project's previous exploration between 2001 and 2009 targeted copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum group elements and gold. A review of pXRF analyses of soil, lag and RAB samples found a significant soil anomaly with grades up to 1,284 parts per million scandium. Peak RAB assays hit 2,164 parts per million over one-metre sample intervals. The company says Olympus has potential for a major new scandium province.
HWK shares rose 3.85% to 2.7 cents on the news, giving the company a market capitalisation of A$16.2 million.
The setup is straightforward. Hawk has ticked the heritage box and now waits on ministerial sign-offs. The timeline stretches into September quarter 2026. The path to first drilling is clearer than it was a week ago.
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