Antares Metals has kicked off its maiden drill program at the Conglomerate Creek prospect within its Mount Isa North Copper Project.

The 1000m reverse circulation (RC) drill program marks the first sub-surface testing on seven high-priority, buried geophysical anomalies identified across the prospect.

“When our team returned rock chip results of 21 per cent copper from Conglomerate Creek last year it confirmed what geophysics had been suggesting — high-grade mineralisation at surface, sitting above targets that have never been drill tested,” Antares managing director Terry Topping said.

Related: Queens Gift drilling delivers for Antares

“Since then, we have been doing the work to give us the best chance of intersecting that system at depth. Refining our targets, completing the environmental and heritage approvals process, and designing a program to effectively test these geophysical anomalies at depth.

“The RC rig is now turning — the first drill bit ever put into these anomalies — and we look forward to sharing results with shareholders in the coming weeks.”

Antares – formerly NickelSearch – acquired the project in 2024 as part of a raft of tenements held by Capella Metals and Bacchus Resources.