Antipa Minerals Ltd (ASX:AZY) is making strides at the Minyari Dome Gold Copper Project in the Paterson Province of Western Australia, where it is working to extend the existing gold-copper mineral resource and make greenfield discoveries.
High-grade, near-surface gold
More than 5,300 metres of reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling have been conducted so far during the nearly 20,000-metre phase two 2023 Minyari Dome exploration program, with a focus on the GEO-01 prospect.
At this target the company has drilled two diamond core holes, totalling 762 metres, and 25 RC holes, covering 4,024 metres, to explore further extensions to high-grade, near-surface gold mineralisation.
The company is also exploring at the Tetris target, 35 kilometres northeast of the Minyari deposit. Initial diamond core drilling, with a planned depth of 800 metres, aims to investigate a magnetic-gravity high geophysical signature similar to the Havieron gold-copper deposit.
Plenty of activity
Antipa managing director Roger Mason said: “The Antipa team are very happy with current progress across our vast Minyari Dome Project exploration footprint, making a great start to the phase two 2023 drilling program.
“Initial drilling has been focused on the GEO-01 and Tetris priority targets, with approximately 7,000 metres of the total planned 19,000 metres of RC, diamond core and air core drilling complete.
“We have plenty of activity to come during the current field season, including four new soil and/or geophysical targets to be tested within the wider Minyari Dome area.
“From mid-December through to February 2024 we expect a steady pipeline of assays to be returned with results to be incorporated into planning for our CY2024 drill program.”
Assays next year
The Pacman targets, including PM1, PM2, and PM3, situated about 30 kilometres east of the Minyari deposit, are also part of the huge exploration effort. These targets exhibit geophysical characteristics akin to the Havieron and Nifty high-grade copper deposits.
Simultaneously, an aircore drill program across four geochemical and/or geophysical anomalies within 1.3 kilometres to 12 kilometres from the Minyari deposit started on November 9, 2023. This program consists of 105 drill holes for 5,000 metres, with assay results expected in February 2024.
Antipa anticipates that results from the ongoing phase two drilling, particularly at the GEO-01 target, will guide the planning of an 11,000-metre phase three RC (6,000 metres) and diamond core (5,000 metres) drilling program set to commence in the second half of March 2024.
Plan showing 100% owned Minyari Dome Project (and partial region of Wilki Project) aeromagnetics highlighting comparison of the bulls-eye magnetic high anomalies for the 5.5-million-ounce gold and 222,000-tonne copper Havieron deposit and the Tetris target.