Tivan (ASX:TVN) has been awarded exploration grant funding for two applications made for its Sandover Fluorite Project in Australia under round 18 of the Northern Territory Government's Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations (GDC) program, according to a Friday Australian bourse filing.

The two grants include AU$100,000 for the co-funding of the planned maiden reverse core drilling program and AU$50,000 for the co-funding of early-stage metallurgical testwork.

The GDC program is a competitive grants program funded by the Northern Territory Government's Resourcing the Territory initiative, administered by the Northern Territory Geological Survey.

The company is in discussions with traditional owners and native title holders, in conjunction with the Central Land Council, about cultural heritage and sacred site clearances.

Assay results from the company's most recent surface sampling program for the project are expected to be returned in June, and its geology team is scheduled to deploy to Sandover in September and October, after the 2025 drill program for the Speewah Fluorite Project.

The company's shares rose 5% in recent Friday trade.