Flagship Minerals Uncovers Massive Gold Alteration Zones at Pantanillo

Extensive Alteration Footprint Detected

Flagship Minerals Limited (ASX – FLG) has announced compelling results from an Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) remote sensing review at its Pantanillo Gold Project, located in Chile’s prolific Maricunga Gold Belt. The survey has delineated large zones of hydrothermal alteration consistent with the geological signatures of epithermal-porphyry gold systems, a hallmark of some of the world’s most productive gold provinces.

The ASTER data reveals two substantial alteration zones exceeding 5 kilometres in length and up to 2 kilometres wide, alongside several smaller alteration zones ranging from 1 to 2 kilometres. These findings suggest a significant mineralised footprint that extends well beyond previously defined areas.

Implications for Exploration and Resource Growth

Alteration mineralogy identified through the ASTER survey includes alunite, kaolinite, and sericite, minerals typically associated with high-sulphidation epithermal and porphyry systems. This mineral assemblage supports the interpretation of Pantanillo as a large-scale gold system with both near-surface and deeper targets. Notably, the survey indicates potential mineralisation beneath altered lithocaps, zones that may conceal blind or obscured deposits.

Flagship’s Managing Director, Paul Lock, emphasised the significance of these results, highlighting their role in refining exploration targets and guiding future drilling campaigns. The company plans to integrate the ASTER findings with existing geological, geochemical, and geophysical data to update the current 1.05 million ounce qualifying foreign estimate (QFE) to a Mineral Resource Estimate compliant with the JORC Code (2012).

Strategic Next Steps and Regional Context

The Pantanillo Project sits within the Maricunga Gold Belt, a region boasting over 65 million ounces of gold in resources and hosting tier-one deposits such as Hochschild’s Volcán, Kinross’ Cerro Maricunga and Lobo-Marte, Barrick/Newmont’s Norte Abierto, and Rio2’s Fenix Gold Project. These deposits share similar ASTER alteration signatures, underscoring Pantanillo’s potential to join this elite group.

Flagship’s near-term strategy includes updating the resource estimate, advancing metallurgical testwork, and conducting extensional drilling in early 2026. The company aims to define a resource base sufficient to support open pit mining and heap leach processing, capitalising on the project’s oxide gold mineralisation starting at surface.

Environmental considerations are also front of mind, given the project’s proximity to the Nevado Tres Cruces National Park and Ramsar-listed wetlands. Flagship acknowledges the need for comprehensive environmental impact assessments as part of future development planning.

Looking Ahead

With the ASTER survey confirming a large and complex alteration system, Flagship Minerals is well-positioned to advance Pantanillo towards a JORC-compliant resource and, ultimately, development. The integration of remote sensing data with ground exploration promises to unlock new targets and potentially expand the project’s gold inventory.