Exploration company Impact Minerals said it had made encouraging finds of gold and copper across an extensive area, mainly on small-holding farmland, about 10 kilometres south of Wellington.

Managing director Dr Mike Jones said he expected a crew would begin drilling before the end of the month.

He said good prospects of gold and copper had been found in soil data collected.

"We want to get out there as quick as possible," he said.

Dr Jones said if the drilling produced further positive results they would work toward obtaining approval to drill in the area by the end of the year.

He said about 10 people would be working on the site soon.

In the company's latest report to the Australian Stock Exchange Dr Jones said 'near-textbook' examples of minerals had been found over a four square kilometre area.

"Exploration is now being fast-tracked to identify specific drill targets. A ground geophysical survey will commence before the end of August with results expected by late September," he said.

The deposits have been located in the Apsley area of the company's site.

"These results have far exceeded our expectations as they suggest that the entire Apsley Prospect is potentially part of one very large porphyry copper-gold complex," he said.

Dr Jones said the Apsley site was one of several in the exploration area showing promise with characteristics similar to large mine prospects in the Central West including the Cadia Valley mine. The company has also uncovered prospective signs of silver deposits in the area.