Antares Metals (ASX:AM5) completes maiden drilling at Conglomerate Creek

Antares Metals has completed a maiden 6 hole, 780m reverse circulation drilling program at the Conglomerate Creek Target 2 prospect within its 100% owned Mt Isa North Copper Project in northwest Queensland.

The program is the first drilling undertaken across a 2km x 2.5km intrusive target hosting 7 untested geophysical anomalies.

Drilling intersected the targeted quartz vein system consistent with surface mineralisation, while laboratory assays for copper, gold and silver from all 6 holes are underway, with results expected to be reported in the coming weeks.

Highlights

The maiden drilling program was designed to test beneath the mapped and sampled mineralised quartz breccia stockwork veining that previously returned rock chip results of up to 21.3% Cu at surface, as well as a dense gravity anomaly considered to be a potential source for mineralisation mapped by Antares geologists.

Samples from all 6 holes have been submitted to ALS's laboratory in Mt Isa for copper, gold and silver assays, with results expected to be reported to the market in the coming weeks.

Conglomerate Creek is located within Antares' 100% owned Mt Isa North landholding, approximately 39km northeast of Glencore's Mt Isa Operations.

According to the company, the 7 high priority geophysical anomalies are interpreted to relate to a single intrusion first identified during the company's 2024 geophysical survey, which forms a distinct 2km x 2.5km semi circular feature at surface.

Historical exploration across the area has been limited to scattered stream sediment samples and 1 rock chip sample.

A follow up reverse circulation drilling program is being finalised for Conglomerate Creek Target 5, immediately north of Target 2.

Rock chip sampling completed in 2025 returned up to 2.77% Cu, 0.6g/t Au and 33.8g/t Ag from a quartz vein containing visible malachite, while a second quartz vein approximately 100m west containing visible copper mineralisation returned 1.13% Cu, 7.4g/t Au and 49.6g/t Ag.

The mineralised quartz vein system has been traced over a 220m strike length before disappearing undercover, with the highest rock chip sample returning 21.3% Cu, 1.72g/t Au and 506g/t Ag.

Antares Managing Director Terry Topping said the maiden program marked the first time a drill bit had tested Conglomerate Creek's intrusive system.

“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. 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. We look forward to reporting these results in the weeks ahead.”

Field activities are underway at the Quinns Project in Western Australia and the Mt Isa Project in Queensland. Planned work includes advancing drill targeting at Quinns, arranging heritage surveys, continuing field activities including mapping and expanded soil sampling, completing a comprehensive review of geophysical datasets to expand and enhance the structural understanding of the Quinns Project, and finalising a follow up reverse circulation drilling program at Conglomerate Creek Target 5 to test the depth and lateral continuity of the identified lodes.