Drilling at Quinns Set to Test Untapped Gold Potential Amid Heritage Survey Delays
Antares Metals has launched an extensive field campaign at its Quinns Gold & Copper Project, expanding its landholding and securing approvals for initial drilling. The company aims to unlock significant orogenic gold potential through modern exploration techniques.
- New exploration licence application expands Quinns Project to 384 km²
- Program of Works approved for first drilling campaign
- Field activities include mapping, rock chip sampling, and soil geochemistry
- Historic Favourite mine area targeted for detailed exploration
- Comprehensive review of historic geophysics underway to prioritise drill targets
Expanding the Footprint
Antares Metals Ltd (ASX:AM5) has kicked off a comprehensive exploration campaign at its 100%-owned Quinns Gold & Copper Project in Western Australia's Murchison goldfields. The project area has been expanded through a new exploration licence application, increasing the contiguous tenure to 384 square kilometres across the Meekatharra greenstone belt. This expansion consolidates Antares’ dominant position in a region historically known for high-grade gold mining but underexplored with modern techniques.
Building on Historic Discoveries
The company is focusing on previously undocumented historic gold workings, including the Favourite mine, which was mined in the early 20th century with notable grades and significant quartz reef widths. Antares plans detailed rock chip sampling and mapping to reassess these areas with contemporary exploration methods. This approach aims to uncover orogenic gold mineralisation that earlier operators, who primarily targeted volcanogenic massive sulphide copper and zinc deposits, largely overlooked.
Modern Techniques Meet Historic Data
Alongside fieldwork, Antares is conducting an extensive review of historic geophysical data to refine structural models and identify high-priority drill targets along the 20-kilometre strike of the greenstone belt. Soil geochemistry programs are underway, particularly southeast of the historic Enterprise mine, to trace extensions of known gold mineralisation. These efforts are complemented by mapping and rock chip sampling across newly identified anomalies, aiming to generate a robust pipeline of targets for drilling.
Drilling and Heritage Progress
Significantly, Antares has secured Program of Works (PoW) approval for its first drilling campaign at Quinns. The company is actively engaging with local Native Title groups to complete heritage surveys, a critical step before mobilisation. This progress signals a transition from exploration to testing the project's potential at depth, with drilling expected to provide crucial insights into the continuity and grade of mineralisation.
Strategic Location and Future Outlook
The Quinns Project benefits from proximity to established processing infrastructure, including mills operated by Monument Mining and Westgold Resources within 10 to 50 kilometres. This logistical advantage could accelerate development timelines should exploration results prove promising. Antares is also advancing exploration at other projects in Queensland, indicating a broader strategic push to build value across its portfolio.
Bottom Line?
With drilling imminent and a growing land position, Antares is poised to redefine the potential of the Quinns Gold & Copper Project.
Questions in the middle?
- What initial results will the upcoming drilling campaign reveal about the orogenic gold potential?
- How will heritage survey outcomes impact the timing and scope of drilling activities?
- Could the integration of historic and modern data lead to a significant resource upgrade?
