Apollo Minerals has regained its exploration permit for the Couflens Project in southern France, unlocking access to the historic Salau tungsten-gold mine and promising significant exploration upside amid rising commodity prices.
- Couflens exploration permit reinstated for five years by French authorities
- Historic Salau mine produced high-grade tungsten with notable gold mineralisation
- Recent rock chip samples show tungsten grades up to 8.25% WO3 and gold up to 24.5g/t
- Legal challenges resolved with permit reinstatement by France’s highest court
- Company plans to reassess data and develop new exploration programs amid strong market demand
Reinstatement Unlocks Strategic European Tungsten Asset
Apollo Minerals Limited has announced the formal reinstatement of its Couflens exploration permit in the French Pyrenees, a significant milestone that restores access to one of the world’s historically highest-grade tungsten deposits. The permit, granted for an initial five-year term, covers 42 square kilometres centred on the Salau mine, which operated from 1971 to 1986 and produced nearly 14,000 tonnes of tungsten concentrate at grades reaching 2.5% WO3 in later years.
This development comes after a protracted legal battle involving multiple French courts, culminating in the Conseil d’Etat overturning previous annulments and confirming the permit’s validity. The reinstatement clears a major regulatory hurdle, enabling Apollo Minerals to resume exploration and development activities on a project with considerable untapped potential.
High-Grade Tungsten and Gold Mineralisation
Beyond tungsten, the Couflens Project is notable for its significant gold mineralisation, which was historically underappreciated. Recent surface sampling by Apollo Minerals revealed gold grades as high as 24.5 grams per tonne alongside tungsten concentrations up to 8.25% WO3. These results underscore the dual commodity potential of the deposit, with gold occurring both at surface and at depths exceeding 600 metres.
The geological setting is characterised by scheelite skarn mineralisation associated with the Hercynian-aged Fourque granodiorite intrusion. The deposit remains open at depth, and historical drilling data suggest substantial gold credits within the mineralised system. This combination of high-grade tungsten and gold positions Couflens as a strategically important asset, especially given tungsten’s critical role in green technologies, aerospace, and defence sectors.
Strategic Importance Amid Rising Commodity Prices
Tungsten is classified as a critical raw material by the European Union and features prominently on the British Geological Survey’s risk list due to supply concentration in China, which accounts for over 80% of global production. The Couflens Project offers a rare opportunity to develop a European source of this essential metal. Since Apollo Minerals’ last exploration activities in 2019, tungsten and gold prices have tripled, enhancing the project’s economic attractiveness.
With a €25 million minimum financial commitment over five years, Apollo Minerals is poised to reassess historical data, design targeted exploration programs, and engage with local communities to advance the project responsibly. The company emphasises the importance of environmental stewardship and social licence as it plans future drilling and surface exploration campaigns.
Looking Ahead, Unlocking Shareholder Value
Managing Director Neil Inwood highlighted the timing of the reinstatement as “fantastic and timely,” noting the potential for Couflens to become a major strategic supplier of tungsten to French and European industries. The project’s combination of high-grade mineralisation, strategic location, and improved commodity market conditions sets the stage for renewed investor interest and exploration momentum.
However, the project remains at an early stage, with no drilling conducted since 2019 and ongoing third-party appeals against the permit reinstatement. Apollo Minerals’ next steps will focus on detailed data reviews, exploration targeting, and community engagement to unlock the full value of this high-quality asset.
Bottom Line?
Apollo Minerals’ Couflens permit reinstatement marks a pivotal step towards revitalising a critical European tungsten-gold asset amid surging commodity demand.
Questions in the middle?
- What is the timeline and budget for Apollo Minerals’ planned exploration and drilling programs at Couflens?
- How might ongoing third-party appeals impact the project’s development and investor confidence?
- What are the prospects for economically viable gold recovery alongside tungsten in the Salau deposit?