Marmion said the Sirius Resources’ Nova nickel project would be the first mine to result from EIS co-funded drilling.

The scheme allows successful applicants to claim 50% of incurred drilling costs.

According to the Western Australian government, more than $19.6 million has been refunded through the co-funded drilling program to more than 250 projects.

Applications for the latest round of grants close on April 10.

“Drilling in under-explored areas is the key to new discoveries, new projects and new jobs,” Marmion said.

He said the drilling program had led to more discoveries in the past 12 months including:

• gold at Alloy Resources’ Horse Well project;
• antimony mineralisation at the Artemis Resources Eastern Hills project;
• zinc at Millennium by Encounter Resources; and
• Panoramic Resources’ nickel find at its Savannah North project.

Since the EIS began it has been supported by more than 350,000 metres of drilling across the state and has contributed, directly or indirectly, to at least 20 discoveries.

“That is why we’ve committed to annual funding of $10 million for the three years from July 2014 until June 2017,” Marmion said.

“This will bring total EIS funding to $130.4 million since it was launched in 2009.”