Antares Metals (ASX:AM5) has completed a six-hole, 780m reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at its Conglomerate Creek Target 2 prospect in Queensland.
Drilling marked the first sub-surface exploration across the 2km by 2.5km intrusive complex.
The program intersected the targeted quartz vein system consistent with surface mineralisation that previously returned rock chip samples up to 21.30% copper (Cu), indicating the mineralised structure extends to depth beneath the ‘high-grade’ surface results.
“This maiden program marks the first time a drill bit has ever tested Conglomerate Creek’s intrusive system, despite the strong copper, gold, and silver grades we’ve mapped at surface,” Managing Director Terry Topping says.
“We’ve drilled beneath that mineralisation and intersected the same style of quartz veining seen at surface. With assays now underway we’ll soon know the grade this system carries at depth.”
Laboratory assays for copper, gold (Au), and silver (Ag) from all six holes are underway at ALS’s Mount Isa facility, with results expected in the coming weeks.
The program tested beneath mapped and sampled mineralised quartz breccia stockwork veining at Target 2, one of seven untested geophysical anomalies across the Conglomerate Creek prospect.
Drilling also targeted a dense gravity anomaly considered a potential source for the surface mineralisation mapped by company geologists.
Conglomerate Creek sits within Antares’ 100%-owned Mount Isa North landholding, approximately 39km northeast of Glencore’s Mount Isa Operations.
The prospect covers a distinct 2km by 2.5km semi-circular intrusive feature identified in the company’s 2024 geophysical survey.
Historical exploration over the area has been limited to scattered stream sediment samples and one rock chip sample.
The mineralised quartz vein system at Target 2 has been traced over a 220m strike length before disappearing under cover. Rock chip sampling in 2025 returned results including 21.30% Cu, 1.72g/t Au, and 506g/t Ag.
The company is finalising a follow-up RC drilling program at Conglomerate Creek Target 5, where rock chip sampling returned results up to 22% Cu.
Antares Metals is a Queensland-focused explorer advancing the Mount Isa North copper project and the Quinns project in Western Australia.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Antares Metals
