Pantera Minerals has delivered standout Phase 2 exploration results at its Gillham Project in Arkansas, revealing antimony grades up to 19.2% and silver assays as high as 63.8 g/t, setting the stage for imminent maiden drilling.
- Exceptional rockchip assays up to 19.2% antimony and 63.8 g/t silver
- Soil sampling refines drill targets at Andrews Gold and Antimony Bluff
- Gillham Project covers 5,000 acres with multiple historic workings
- Maiden drilling planned at Davis, Stewart, and May prospects
- Potential district-scale polymetallic system confirmed
High-Grade Antimony and Silver Reinforce Gillham's Potential
Pantera Minerals Limited (ASX:PFE) has unveiled a fresh batch of compelling assay results from its Phase 2 exploration program at the Gillham Project in southwest Arkansas, USA. Rockchip samples returned eye-catching grades, including 19.2% antimony (Sb) and 63.8 g/t silver (Ag), alongside significant base metals such as lead and zinc. These results bolster confidence in the project's scale and continuity, advancing Pantera’s ambition to establish a critical minerals hub in the United States.
The standout assays include 7.55% Sb with 63.8 g/t Ag, 8.6% zinc (Zn), and 7.44% lead (Pb) from the Stewart Prospect, and a remarkable 19.2% Sb with 12.25 g/t Ag at Stewart North. Additional high-grade rock samples from the May and Antimony Bluff prospects, such as 15% Sb and 9.3% Sb, underline the polymetallic nature of the mineralisation. This array of surface results confirms a district-scale system, spanning approximately 5,000 acres and encompassing more than 18 historical antimony and silver workings, none of which have been tested by modern drilling.
Soil Sampling Sharpens Drill Targets Ahead of Maiden Drilling
Complementing the rockchip results, Pantera has completed an extensive Phase 2 infill soil sampling campaign at the Andrews Gold and Antimony Bluff prospects. The soil program refined multiple coincident anomalies, supported by historical workings, which have been distilled into priority drill targets. Soil assays revealed antimony concentrations up to 2660 ppm along the Stewart and May trends, providing a geochemical footprint that aligns with the high-grade rock samples.
These geochemical and geological data points are critical as Pantera prepares for its maiden drilling campaign. The company has identified the Davis, Stewart, and May prospects as immediate priorities for drill testing, aiming to validate mineralisation at depth and assess resource potential. The Phase 2 program’s success in expanding mineralised trends and confirming structural controls lays a solid foundation for this next phase.
Historic Workings and Modern Exploration Combine
The Gillham Project’s historical context adds weight to the recent findings. The Stewart Mine, for instance, reportedly produced around 1,000 tonnes of stibnite from small-scale surface workings, highlighting its established antimony credentials. The May prospect, opened in 1877 by the United States Antimony Company, features historic shallow shafts targeting quartz veins rich in stibnite. Pantera’s modern rockchip assays represent the first contemporary data from May, confirming its potential with assays up to 9.3% antimony.
On the structural front, recent mapping and sampling at Antimony Bluff have extended the known mineralisation and identified new structural controls on quartz veins. This work, combined with soil sampling south of the prospect, is uncovering additional anomalous zones beneath shallow cover, suggesting the mineralised system’s footprint may be broader than previously understood.
Next Steps Toward Unlocking Value
Pantera’s Executive Chairman and CEO, Barnaby Egerton-Warburton, emphasised the significance of these results in refining drill targets and advancing the project toward its maiden drilling campaign. The upcoming drill program is positioned as a pivotal catalyst, with the company poised to test the continuity and scale of the mineralisation that surface sampling has so far indicated.
In parallel, Pantera is assessing other U.S.-based critical minerals opportunities that align with its growth strategy, leveraging the momentum from Gillham. The market will be watching closely as Pantera transitions from surface sampling to drilling, where the true test of the Gillham Project’s potential will unfold.
Bottom Line?
Pantera’s high-grade surface assays at Gillham set a promising stage, but the real test lies in upcoming drilling to confirm depth continuity and resource scale.
Questions in the middle?
- Will maiden drilling confirm the surface-grade continuity at depth?
- How might Pantera prioritise targets if drilling reveals variable mineralisation?
- What is the potential timeline for resource estimation following drilling?