Newcrest Mining will assume management of the Wilki Project in the Paterson Province of Western Australia, as part of its farm-in agreement with Antipa Minerals.

Newcrest’s decision follows the satisfactory completion of the initial commitment of $6 million in exploration expenditure, which Newcrest completed in November 2021, and finalisation by Antipa of the project’s current program of works.

Newcrest’s management of the operations of the project will take effect on July 1.

Antipa managing director Roger Mason said Newcrest’s decision to assume operatorship of Wilki from July was “perfect timing”.

“With our other major partners, Rio Tinto and IGO, already operating our Citadel JV and Paterson farm-in projects respectively, this allows Antipa to dedicate its focus to the rapid advancement of our 100 per cent-owned Minyari Dome Project,” he said.

“The recent substantial resource upgrade at Minyari, to 1.8 million ounces gold, readily demonstrates why we are now targeting a stand- alone mining and processing operation at Minyari via the usual evaluation studies.

“Running in parallel, our major partners will be funding significant greenfield discovery exploration programs on 5000 kilometres of world-class Paterson Province ground. Antipa enjoys the best of both worlds in this respect, with exciting times ahead.”

Antipa is focused on the Paterson Province, home to Newcrest Mining’s world-class Telfer gold-copper mine, Rio Tinto’s Winu copper-gold deposit, Newcrest- Greatland Gold’s Havieron gold-copper deposit and other significant mineral deposits.