Antares Metals (ASX: AM5) reports exceptional surface gold grades up to 41.7 g/t at its Quinns project in WA, revealing three priority drill targets and fast-tracking maiden drilling plans.
- Rock chip samples hit 41.7 g/t gold
- Three high-priority drill targets identified
- Quinns tenure spans 383km2 with limited modern gold exploration
- Project near Monument Mining and Westgold mills
- Heritage surveys and expanded sampling underway
Exceptional Surface Gold Grades Rekindle Interest at Quinns
Antares Metals Ltd (ASX:AM5) has revealed rock chip samples grading as high as 41.7 g/t gold from its 100%-owned Quinns project in Western Australia, marking a significant step in unlocking the district’s orogenic gold potential. These results come from targeted sampling across three historic workings within the largely underexplored 383km2 tenure in the Meekatharra greenstone belt.
The standout sample, QURK048, was taken from the Finlays Gold Prospect, where shallow pits and shafts extending over 70 metres returned multiple high-grade hits including 3.7 g/t and 2.27 g/t gold. Alongside Finlays, the Fennell Gold Prospect and Favourite Gold Mine have also emerged as priority drill targets, with rock chip assays up to 15.93 g/t and 3.48 g/t respectively. The Favourite Mine boasts a strike length exceeding 180 metres, suggesting a structurally continuous gold system ripe for follow-up.
Quinns Project: A New Chapter Beyond Copper-Zinc Focus
Historically, exploration at Quinns concentrated on volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) copper-zinc deposits, notably the Austin deposit, leaving the orogenic gold potential largely untested by modern methods. Antares is now pivoting to this high-grade gold opportunity, leveraging its recent acquisition of multiple tenements to consolidate an extensive land package.
The project’s proximity to existing infrastructure adds a practical edge: it lies just 10 kilometres from Monument Mining’s Burnakura Mill and approximately 50 kilometres from Westgold Resources’ Bluebird and Tuckabianna mills. This geographical advantage could streamline future development pathways should drilling confirm continuity and scale of mineralisation.
Systematic Exploration and Imminent Drilling Plans
Following the March 2026 rock chip campaign, Antares is advancing heritage surveys, expanded soil sampling, and a comprehensive geophysical review to refine drill targets. The company aims to commence maiden drilling across Finlays, Fennell, and Favourite in the near term, accelerating its understanding of the orogenic gold system.
This latest announcement builds on Antares’ recent momentum, including securing $237,500 in government funding to kickstart drilling and geophysical surveys at Quinns, targeting both the historic Austin VMS deposit and other prospects. Concurrently, the company is progressing drilling at its Mt Isa North copper-uranium project and the Katanning gold project, ensuring a steady stream of news flow through the second half of 2026.
Geological Setting and Exploration Strategy
The Quinns project is situated within the Meekatharra-Wydgee Greenstone Belt, part of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton, featuring a complex geological setting with felsic volcaniclastics, mafic volcanics, and banded iron formations. Gold mineralisation is structurally controlled, often hosted in quartz veins associated with iron formations, typical of the Murchison Province’s orogenic gold systems.
Antares is applying modern geochemical and geophysical techniques, including planned IP and gravity surveys and advanced sampling methods, to target mineralisation beneath shallow cover. This approach aims to unlock extensions and new discoveries that eluded previous explorers focused on base metals.
What Lies Ahead for Antares Metals
With three high-grade targets primed for drilling and a comprehensive exploration program underway, Antares Metals is positioning itself to test the true scale of gold mineralisation at Quinns. The company’s strategic tenure expansion and integration of historical data with new fieldwork set the stage for potentially transformative results.
Investors will be watching closely as heritage approvals are finalised and drilling commences, offering the first substantive test of the orogenic gold system beneath surface anomalies. Meanwhile, ongoing work at the Mt Isa North and Katanning projects adds further layers to Antares’ exploration story in 2026.
Bottom Line?
Antares Metals’ high-grade surface gold results at Quinns unlock fresh exploration avenues, but the real test will come with maiden drilling and resource definition.
Questions in the middle?
- Will maiden drilling confirm continuity of high-grade gold at Quinns?
- How might proximity to existing mills influence development timelines?
- Can Antares replicate its multi-commodity exploration success across its diverse project portfolio?