We analyse the specific contact resistance rho(C) and the interfacial microstructural characteristics (by Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction) of Au and AuZn contacts on p-GaSb. The experiments showed that rho(C) hardly depends on the inclusion of Zn in the metallic film or on the annealing processes, at least for the carrier concentrations available (p greater-than-or-equal-to 1.6 x 10(17) cm-3). However, the dependence of rho(C) on the acceptor concentration leads us to conclude that field emission is the principal conduction mechanism, The efficacy of an Ar glow discharge in considerably reducing the oxide present at the GaSb substrate is demonstrated. We also show that rapid thermal annealing produces much thinner interface-reacted layers than does the conventional (resistive) heat treatment.