The level of resource exploration in the Northern Territory might have halved in the past year but a healthy gold price saw half of 2015's NT exploration spend go on gold.
The Tanami region's gold has been touted as a "world class" deposit and is a place where gold is still found in quartz veins at the surface.
Newmont Mining has more than doubled its production at the The Granites Mine in the Tanami since 2012 and the company expects to continue its expansion.
"We're systematically going through and, over the next three years, drilling 150,000 metres," the firm's Sean Schmider said.
"Within the broader Tanami region we're looking at doing systematic exploration using geochemical methods and using drill testing.
"[That will mean] about 100 to 150 people on site, in addition to the current workforce, over the next couple of years."
TAM Price at posting:
4.2¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
