South Pacific Metals has revealed high-grade copper and gold mineralisation at the Ontenu NE target within its Osena project in Papua New Guinea.
Surface sampling returned rock chip assays of up to 10.3 per cent copper and 1.7 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, with additional results of 3.1 per cent copper, 2.06 per cent copper and 1.26g/t gold.
The Ontenu NE prospect lies just 1km south of K92 Mining’s Kainantu gold mine and shares similar geological features, including high-sulphidation structures with mineral pathfinders such as gold, copper, silver, bismuth, tellurium and zinc.
Soil sampling over the 2km by 1.5km area identified multiple gold-in-soil anomalies, with peak values of 216 parts per billion gold across a mineralised corridor extending more than 3kms.
Previous trenching at Ontenu Central, 1km to the north, returned intercepts including 4m at 4.52g/t gold and 0.13 per cent copper within a broader zone of 79m at 0.75g/t gold and 981 parts per million copper.
The Ontenu prospects lie along the Kainantu transfer zone and form part of a larger intrusive gold-copper system spanning 5km by 3km, interpreted to host overprinted gold mineralisation above an earlier porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum phase.
“These are among the most exciting surface results we’ve seen to date in this emerging district,” South Pacific executive chair Michael Murphy said.
“To encounter double-digit copper and high-grade gold at surface – just steps from an operating mine – underscores Ontenu’s exceptional potential.
“With trenching underway and our drill rig landing next month, we’re entering a new phase of discovery.”
Drilling at Ontenu is scheduled to begin in June, with a company-owned diamond rig currently en route to site.
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