Antipa Minerals (ASX:AZY) has delivered a flurry of high-grade gold and copper intercepts from its Minyari Dome Project, located in the Paterson Province of Western Australia. The results from Antipa’s Phase 2 drilling program confirm new zones of mineralisation, including intersections like 17 metres at 6.8 g/t gold and 0.5% copper at the Minyari South deposit. Excitement is brewing not just because of the grades but also because this discovery is only 60km from Artemis Resources’ (ASX:ARV) Paterson Project.
The close proximity underscores the untapped potential of this prolific gold and copper region, already home to global-scale discoveries such as Rio Tinto’s Winu and Greatland Gold’s Havieron deposits.
Antipa’s Exploration Success
The Minyari Dome Project, fully owned by Antipa, sits at the centre of the Paterson Province’s gold-copper buzz. The company’s latest exploration blitz has targeted resource expansion and greenfield discoveries across key prospects like Minyari South, Fiama, and Minyari Southeast.
Standout results include:
- Minyari South: 17m at 6.8 g/t gold and 0.5% copper from 65m, including 4m at 12.2 g/t gold.
- Fiama Prospect: 16m at 3.8 g/t gold from 113m, including 2m at a stellar 25.4 g/t gold.
- Minyari Southeast: 10m at 3.0 g/t gold from 67m, featuring 2m at 13.2 g/t gold.
These results not only confirm the project’s resource growth potential but also showcase the regional significance of the Paterson Province, where Antipa is a key player alongside other explorers such as Artemis.
Roger Mason, Managing Director of Antipa Minerals, described the results as transformative. “We’ve not only expanded our resource footprint at Minyari South and Fiama but also uncovered new zones of high-grade gold. This reinforces the extraordinary potential of our 100%-owned project to deliver both resource growth and new discoveries.”
Artemis Eyes Exploration Upside Nearby
While Antipa pushes forward with its drilling, Artemis Resources is also ramping up activity at its Paterson Project, which lies about 60km from Minyari Dome. The Artemis tenements, covering over 600km², sit close to other notable Paterson deposits, including Havieron and Telfer.
Drilling at Artremis' Paterson Central Gold-Copper Project
Artemis recently secured $4 million in fresh capital to fund drilling across its tenements, including the Paterson Project. The company aims to build on earlier groundwork and test high-priority gold and copper targets in early 2025. Its Paterson exploration program is a natural extension of its work at the Carlow Gold-Copper Project in the Pilbara, where Artemis is also pursuing resource expansion.
Paterson Province: A Growing Hotspot
The Paterson Province has increasingly drawn the attention of major mining players and junior explorers alike, thanks to its wealth of tier-1 gold and copper opportunities. Beyond Antipa and Artemis, companies like Rio Tinto and Greatland Gold have uncovered world-class deposits, solidifying the region as one of Australia’s hottest exploration districts.
What makes the Paterson so attractive? The geological setting offers a unique mix of structurally controlled gold systems and intrusion-related copper-gold deposits. High-grade discoveries like those at Minyari Dome only strengthen its credentials.
For Antipa, the immediate focus will be on completing assays from the remaining holes in its Phase 2 program and expanding its Mineral Resource Estimate in 2025. Meanwhile, Artemis is set to drill test its targets at the Paterson Project and other tenements early in the new year, supported by its recent capital injection.
The proximity of the Minyari Dome and Artemis’ Paterson Project opens intriguing possibilities for shared infrastructure or potential partnerships as exploration progresses. The region’s untapped potential means it’s likely to remain a centre of exploration activity for years to come.
For now, both Antipa and Artemis have their sights firmly set on unlocking the next big discovery in this prolific belt. As the drills turn, the Paterson Province continues to shine as a beacon for gold and copper hunters in Western Australia.
