Antares Metals Limited Discovers Promising Copper–Uranium Synergy at Queens Gift, Boosting Mt Isa North Exploration Prospects
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
at
8:19 am
Antares Metals Limited reports promising exploration results from its Queens Gift project in northwest Queensland, identifying copper alongside uranium. The discovery supports continued exploration aimed at uncovering economic mineralization potential in the Mt Isa North Copper and Uranium Project.
Antares Metals Limited has announced encouraging progress on its Mt Isa North Copper and Uranium Project in northwest Queensland. Field teams have been active at the Queens Gift uranium prospect, where recent reconnaissance and rock chip sampling have not only confirmed the presence of uranium but have also revealed visible disseminated copper mineralisation. During sampling, geologists used a handheld RadEye PRD scintillometer for on-site radiometric testing, complemented by pXRF analysis conducted off-site. Preliminary visual estimates indicate the presence of chalcopyrite in concentrations of between 1% and 3% by volume and pyrite at 0.5% to 2% by volume, suggesting an estimated copper grade of approximately 500–1000 ppm based on visual observation.
The Queens Gift deposit, located about 77 km north-northwest of Mt Isa, has a long exploration history, with initial discoveries dating back to 1969 by Queensland Mines Limited and significant exploration activities conducted by Deep Yellow Ltd from 2006 to 2011. The deposit, hosted within altered Cromwell metabasalt units displaying a radiometric signature over a 1.3 km ridge, shares similar geological features to other regional uranium deposits, including steeply dipping mineralisation zones associated with intense hematite and albitite alteration. The current field work seeks to not only reconfirm historic uranium resource estimates compliant with the established JORC guidelines but also to evaluate the additional potential for economic copper deposits within the same area.
Looking ahead, the exploration strategy includes awaiting multi-element assay results, expected in four to six weeks, which will better define the true extent and quality of the mineralisation. Future activities are set to incorporate additional drilling phases at nearby prospects such as the Surprise Copper Prospect and the Conglomerate Creek Copper Prospect, along with enhanced compilation of geological and geophysical data across the project tenure. Antares Metals Limited is also actively considering an upgrade to its existing mineral resource estimate at Queens Gift, which could further validate the potential of the project.
The news presents a mixed picture for market sentiment. On the bullish side, the confirmation of dual mineralisation—uranium and a notable presence of copper—strengthens the prospects of the Mt Isa North project and suggests additional value as the assays confirm resource quality. The active exploration program and plans for further drilling add to the optimism, hinting at possible resource expansion and an upgraded estimate that could drive future investor confidence. However, the bearish perspective notes that the results are still pending laboratory confirmation, and the visual estimates for copper grades are preliminary. These uncertainties, combined with ongoing exploration risks inherent to early-stage projects, may temper expectations until more definitive assay results are available.