Antipa Minerals Ltd (ASX:AZY) will target substantial resource growth and new greenfield discoveries at its flagship Minyari Dome Gold-Copper Project in Western Australia’s Paterson Province, with an expanded phase 2 drilling program that’s set to commence this month.
The expanded drilling program at the 900 square kilometres project will involve up to 19,200 metres of drilling, consisting of 10,000 metres of reverse circulation (RC) drilling, 4,200 metres of diamond core drilling and 5,000 metres of aircore drilling.
Drilling will target material growth to existing gold-copper mineral resources plus major new greenfield discoveries. It will focus on the recent shallow GEO-01 discovery and scout drilling of exciting large-scale greenfield targets, Tetris and Pacman.
The expanded phase 2 program follows the initial phase 1 program completed earlier this year which involved 7,346 metres of RC drilling across multiple targets, including significant success at GEO-01 and Minyari North.
GEO-01 target
Antipa intersected significant near-surface high-grade gold mineralisation at GEO-01 earlier this year, including 68 metres grading 1.4 g/t gold from 68 metres which includes 36 metres at 2.6 g/; 48 metres at 1.3 g/t from 132 metres including 28 metres at 2.2 g/t; and 24 metres at 1.3 g/t from 16 metres.
The mineralisation remains open in most directions and is just 1.3 kilometres from the company’s 1.5-million-ounce Minyari deposit. RC and diamond drilling is planned at GEO-01 to rapidly test and expand/drill out this shallow potential resource opportunity.
Tetris target
The high-priority Tetris target, 35 kilometres northeast of the Minyari deposit, bears significant geophysical likeness to the nearby large-scale 5.5-million-ounce Havieron gold-copper deposit.
This includes a similar bulls-eye shaped, sized and amplitude coincident magnetic-gravity high geophysical signature, which is hosted by interpreted equivalent stratigraphy under about 450 metres of cover.
The closest drill hole to Tetris is around 15 kilometres away. Diamond core drill testing of this greenfield target, which is scheduled to commence in October, is supported by a $220,000 Western Australian Government co-funding drilling grant.
Pacman targets
The Pacman targets are about 30 kilometres east of the Minyari deposit. Two of the three targets are magnetic highs with partially coincident gravity highs, also bearing some resemblance to Havieron.
The other Pacman target is a gravity high with a partially coincident magnetic high, bearing a geophysical likeness with the regional Nifty high-grade copper deposit.
All three Pacman targets are hosted by interpreted Havieron-equivalent stratigraphy under around 350 metres of cover. The closest effective drill hole to any of the Pacman targets is around 10 kilometres away.
Diamond core drill testing of two of these large-scale greenfield targets is scheduled for November, supported by a further $220,000 government co-funding drilling grant.
Antipa managing director Roger Mason said: “The 100%-owned Minyari Dome Project offers Antipa a compelling gold exploration and development opportunity in Western Australia’s Paterson Province, and is strategically located just 35 kilometres from Newcrest’s 22 million tonnes per annum Telfer processing facility.
Unlocking the potential of this asset
“Over the last 18 months, we have started to truly unlock the potential of this asset with multiple, significant discovery successes delivered, including the recent GEO-01 discovery.
“Our expanded Phase 2 CY2023 drilling program will see up to a further approximately 19,000 metres of RC, diamond core and aircore drilling take place across a number of key targets over the next few months each of which has the potential to be transformational for Antipa.”
The expanded program, which is set to begin in late September, has been enabled by Antipa’s recent placement and rights issue that is set to bring in up to $7 million (before costs) in new equity funding.