Temporary financial relief for critical mineral projects in NSW
An opt-in NSW Government scheme that provides temporary financial relief to eligible critical minerals mining projects by allowing deferral of royalty payments for up to five years.
Deferred royalties accrue interest and are repaid in quarterly instalments over the five years following the deferral period.
To be eligible to apply for a critical minerals project under the scheme, applicants must:
- be a NSW mining lease holder
- the primary purpose of the mining lease, the subject of the application, must be the recovery of one or more critical minerals
- demonstrate that the mining lease holder, or related body corporate to the mining lease holder, has a market capitalisation, or market valuation of less than $5 billion
- confirm that the critical minerals, the subject of the application have not been previously mined under the nominated mining lease, or any mining lease in effect over the same land immediately before the grant of the lease that is the subject of the application
- demonstrate that an eligible mineral is the primary commodity of the project
In addition, it is a condition of approval that minerals will commence recovery between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2030.
Applicants may only apply for a royalty deferral once a mining lease has been granted.
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Last updated: 12 February 2026