Antipa Minerals Ltd (ASX:AZY) has identified large new zones of high-grade gold and copper mineralisation in the first batch of assay results from the 2021 drill program at its 100%-owned Minyari Dome Project in Western Australia’s Paterson Province.
Zones of gold-copper-silver-cobalt mineralisation were intersected in the reverse circulation (RC) drilling, including the new ‘Minyari East’ discovery outside the existing mineral resource.
Best result was 31 metres at 3.20 g/t gold and 0.26% copper from 383 metres downhole to the end-of-hole, including 2 metres at 17.54 g/t gold, 1.40% copper and 2.19 g/t silver from 390 metres and 1-metre at 32.10 g/t gold, 2.29% copper and 3.83 g/t silver from 391 metres.
Minyari Dome Project is around 35 kilometres of Newcrest Mining Ltd’s (ASX:NCM) Telfer gold-copper-silver mine and mineral processing facility and 54 kilometres along strike from Greatland Gold plc (LON:GGP)-Newcrest’s Havieron gold-copper development project.
“Most active drilling year”
Antipa managing director Roger Mason said: “With nine rigs currently drilling across our four Paterson Project, we are in the middle of the most active drilling year in Antipa’s history.
“The first batch of Minyari deposit 2021 RC drill results confirm the potential for significant resource growth and a standalone development opportunity based on an open pit and underground mining operation close to Telfer.”
Minyari East results
Assays have been received for 11 RC drill holes (including one partial hole) for 3,129 metres, which demonstrate favourable compatibility with current mineral resource domains and identify additional high-grade gold-copper mineralisation.
Other strong results from the Minyari East discovery were:
- 2 metres at 18.80 g/t gold, 0.82% copper and 2.30 g/t silver from 397 metres, including 1-metre at 33 g/t gold, 0.80% copper and 3.56 g/t silver from 398 metres.
- 6 metres at 16.83 g/t gold, 0.5% copper and 0.96 g/t silver from 335 metres downhole including 1-metre at 58.90 g/t gold, 0.75% copper and 1.88 g/t silver from 339 metres; and
- 22 metres at 2.60 g/t gold and 0.08% copper from 294 metres downhole including 1-metre at 42.30 g/t gold, 0.16% copper and 1.03 g/t silver from 294 metres.
Enhances resource opportunities
According to the company, new Minyari East high-grade gold-copper mineralisation enhances resource and development opportunities.
Mason said: “The newly discovered Minyari East mineralisation remains open in all directions, as do the existing Minyari and WACA resources which, when combined with several untested Minyari geophysical anomalies, demonstrate the potential for this year’s Minyari Dome project exploration program, which will be the largest program we have ever undertaken at Minyari, to identify additional gold-copper mineralisation that can materially enhance project economics.”
Several RC holes ended in mineralisation due to the depth capacity limitation of the RC rig, these holes will be re-entered with diamond drilling to extend their depth to further evaluate the extent of the high-grade Minyari East mineralisation.
The Minyari resource infill drilling has also returned encouraging results such as:
- 21 metres at 3.58 g/t gold, 0.64% copper and 1.66 g/t silver from 100 metres downhole, including 8 metres at 4.86 g/t gold, 1.27% copper and 3.01 g/t silver from 101 metres, and 1-metre at 20.60 g/t gold, 2.85% copper and 8.25 g/t silver from 102 metres;
- 38 metres at 1.71 g/t gold and 0.05% copper from 122 metres downhole, including 2 metres at 10.16 g/t gold and 0.13% cobalt from 140 metres;
- 56 metres at 1.20 g/t gold, 0.42% copper and 1.08 g/t silver from 136 metres downhole;
- 119 metres at 0.86 g/t gold and 0.08% copper from 70 metres downhole, including 10 metres at 2.21 g/t gold and 0.24% copper from 92 metres; and
- 4 metres at 6.49 g/t gold, 0.26% copper and 0.11% cobalt from 149 metres downhole.
Additional drilling
The 2021 phase 1 program was planned to consist of 21,000 metres of drilling, including 15,000 metres of RC plus 6,000 metres of diamond core.
Antipa started RC and diamond drilling (DD) in May and to date around 10,000 metres of RC and 3,000 metres of DD have been completed.
The Phase 1 drill program was scheduled to be completed by mid-August, however, because of the initial drill results, Antipa will add additional drilling to fast-track the drill evaluation of the high-grade Minyari East lode and broader eastern Minyari target area, including:
- Diamond core drill extensions to a selection of 2021 RC drill holes;
- Additional RC drill holes up-dip and also up plunge to the south; and
- Additional diamond core holes down-dip and also down plunge to the north.
Drill samples will be batched and dispatched for assay periodically and announcements will be made as assays are received.