The kick-start of the mining industry in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste’s economy remains heavily reliant on oil and gas revenues, with the Petroleum Fund (Fundo Petrolífero de Timor-Leste) serving as the country’s primary source of income. Offshore natural gas projects, such as Greater Sunrise, continue to
hold significant potential. However, an essential step on Timor-Leste’s path to long-term prosperity is the diversification of its economy to generate employment and sustain growth.

The nation is therefore undergoing a period of economic transition, seeking to move beyond hydrocarbons and broaden its economic base. One particularly promising avenue lies in the development of a mining sector.

Timor-Leste is still vastly under-explored, and mining activity is at a very early stage of development, offering considerable opportunities for future growth. Following the successful completion of the first round of the Mineral Public Tender in 2023, on 24 November 2025, ANM announced the second mineral public tender for awarding exploration and evaluation licences for metallic minerals, gemstones, industrial minerals, radioactive minerals, and rare earth minerals.

With this in mind, our team has prepared a brief guide, which can be consulted in the attachment below.