Expanding Drilling Program for 2023
Konrad Forrest

Antipa Minerals Limited advised that it intends to significantly expand the planned 2023 exploration activities at its 100%-owned, 877km2 Minyari Dome Project in Western Australia’s Paterson Province. Based on the recently completed analysis of the H2 CY2022 Phase 2 greenfield drilling at Minyari Dome, Antipa is of the view that the two targets immediately north of Minyari plus the GEO-01 soil/air core target, combined with other high-priority regional targets worked up to drill-ready status, warrant a more aggressive exploration focus this year than previously envisaged. This enlarged 2023 exploration programme at Minyari Dome is now set to comprise up to a 12,000-metre drill programme which will focus on new resource growth opportunities with the ability to enhance the project development opportunity. Drilling is expected to commence in May.
To allow the 2023 drilling programme results to be included into the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) as well as to ensure the Company has sufficient funding for the expanded exploration activities at Minyari Dome this year, Antipa has elected to pause the current PFS workstreams on the Minyari Dome Project. Progress on these workstreams has affirmed the general technical and economic parameters presented in the Scoping Study completed in August 2022. Antipa expects to recommence the PFS programme in early 2024, incorporating all results from 2023 drilling activities into the PFS programme. 1 The Minyari Dome Project is located within 35km of Newcrest Mining’s Telfer gold-copper-silver mine and mineral processing facility and 54km along strike from Newcrest-Greatland Gold’s Havieron goldcopper development project (Figures 4 and 5).
Antipa’s Managing Director, Roger Mason said
“As we worked through the results from last year’s H2 greenfield drilling in more detail, the scale of the growth opportunity in front of us became increasingly magnified. Put simply, this opportunity demanded increased investment, relative to what we previously planned for 2023 drilling at Minyari Dome. “As a result, we are now set to significantly expand our 2023 drilling plans at Minyari Dome. This approach has the potential to materially change the scope of the Minyari Dome development and so we will pause our PFS programme until these results are received. We are convinced this strategy is the right one, given its potential to add substantial further value to the Minyari Dome Project through the course of this year. We also have the benefit of being able to carry forward almost all PFS work completed to date without significant need for refreshment upon recommencement.”