New Mineralised Structures Found at Ontenu NE, With Assay Results up to 3.85g/t Au, 1.2% Cu, 603g/t Ag in Rock Chips
New Mineralised Structures Found at Ontenu
NE, With Assay Results up to 3.85g/t Au, 1.2%
Cu, 603g/t Ag in Rock Chips
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 17, 2025) -
South Pacific Metals Corp.
(TSXV: SPMC) (OTCQB: SPMEF) (FSE: 6J00) ("
SPMC
" or the "
Company
") is pleased to announce
rock chip assay results from recently discovered mineralized zones, at surface, at the Ontenu NE
prospect within its
Osena Project. The Project lies within a major NE-SW corridor known as the Kainantu
Transfer Zone, which also hosts the large Kainantu Gold-Copper mine being mined by K92 Mining Ltd.
Highlights:
A 1m-2m (est) wide mineralised structure with sulphides and copper oxides was found in
a newly discovered outcrop.
Six 1m representative rock chip (channel) samples were collected
along the exposed strike of the structure. Assay results include individual rock chip samples with:
3.95g/t Au, 1.2% Cu and 603ppm Ag
2.65g/t Au, 0.6% Cu, 337ppm Ag (repeat sample at same location as above)
2.18g/t Au, 0.1% Cu, 100ppm Ag
Au results in these six samples ranged from 1.14g/t Au to 3.95g/t Au
The outcrop is along strike of a
>600m
long
Au-As soil anomaly
7.69g/t Au
in a 10 - 30cm wide vein in a sheared conglomerate outcrop. Minor
visible gold
was
noted at the base of the outcrop
9.34g/t Au, 272g/t Ag
in a creek float rock sample
Ontenu NE is
emerging as a potential epithermal Au-Cu target zone with:
NW-SE and N-S structures
similar to vein orientations at nearby K92 Mine
Several Au-As (+Cu) soil anomalies up to 1,200m long
Mineralised structures as described above
Mapping and sampling are ongoing (some assays
pending)
Trenching and reconnaissance are also continuing on the wider Ontenu Project area prior to
drilling
"Our exploration only
recently pivoted to Ontenu NE. Within a short time, we have found several new
mineralised structures which we suspect could represent the upper levels of epithermal Au-Cu veins,"
said
Timo Jauristo, CEO of the Company
. "To encounter high gold, copper and silver in some of
these structures is
encouraging. These results,with continuing mapping and sampling will guide our
drill planning which will be targeting epithermal Au-Cu veins. We hope to start drilling within the next
month. These will be the first drill holes in the Ontenu NE area."
Figure 1.
New discovery outcrop at Ontenu NE with abundant sulphide, secondary copper oxides and
high-grade assay results for gold, silver and copper (samples E21021-E21029)
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
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Figure 2. Left
visible gold in float sample at base of outcrop (not assayed).
Right
Sample E21038
-
with
7.69g/t Au, 17g/t Ag
(sample E21038)
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About the Osena Project
Covering 738 km² of strategic ground, the
Osena Project
is located southwest of and adjacent to K92's
tenements that host the Kainantu Gold Mine. Priority prospects include Ontenu, a large-scale cluster of
five intrusive Copper-Gold porphyry and epithermal vein targets extending over 5 km x 3 km. The Ontenu
Prospect is one of many occurring within a mineralized corridor that extends more than 40 km northeast
across the Kainantu District.
Figure 3.
Regional location map: Kainantu District with SPMC's Osena Project (SW) and Anga Project
(NE) relative to K92 Mining Ltd's deposits.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
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About South Pacific Metals Corp.
South Pacific Metals Corp is an emerging gold-copper exploration company operating in the heart of
Papua New Guinea's proven gold and copper production corridors. With an expansive 3,100 km² land
package and four transformative gold-copper projects contiguous with major producers K92 Mining,
PanAust and neighbouring Barrick/Zijin, new leadership and experienced in-country teams are
prioritizing thoughtful and rigorous technical programs focused on boots-on-the-ground exploration to
prioritize discovery across its portfolio projects: Anga, Osena, Kili Teke, and May River.
Immediately flanking K92 Mining's active drilling and gold producing operations to the northeast and
southwest, SPMC's Anga and Osena Projects are located within the high-grade Kainantu Gold District -
each having the potential to host similar-style lode-gold and porphyry copper-gold mineralization as that
present within K92's tenements. Kili Teke is an advanced exploration project situated only 40 km from
the world-class Porgera Gold Mine and hosts an existing Inferred Mineral Resource with multiple
opportunities for expansion and further discovery. The May River Project is located adjacent to the world-
renowned Frieda River copper-gold project, with historical drilling indicating potential for a significant,
untapped-gold mineralized system. SPMC common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange
(TSXV: SPMC), the OTCQB Marketplace (OTCQB: SPMEF) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE:
6J00).
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Rock Sampling
Rock samples are selective and collected by a consultant geologist and Company geologists in the field.
Some samples, as noted in the table 1 in the Appendix, were collected as chip channel samples with a
maximum horizontal width of 1 metre. Samples were sent to the ITS (PNG) Ltd (Intertek) Laboratory in
Lae. Gold assays were conducted using 50 g charge Fire Assay with Atomic Absorption Spectra finish
(Intertek Code FA50/AA), with a detection limit of 0.01ppm. Copper and silver assays were assayed
with 3-acid digest (Intertek Code PGGA03). Samples are also being sent for full multi-element assays to
be determined using 4-acid digestion with Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) (Intertek code 4A/MS48).
Certified reference material, duplicates and blanks were inserted into the rock sample stream to monitor
laboratory performance, with no significant variations from expected results.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information disclosed in this release has been compiled by Company
geologists and consultants and reviewed and approved by Darren Holden, BSc(Hons) (Geology), PhD,
FAusIMM, a "Qualified Person" as defined under the Canadian Institute of Mining National Instrument 43-
101
Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects
. Dr. Holden is a Technical Advisor to the Company.
For further information, please contact:
Michael Murphy, Executive Chair
or
Investor Relations
South Pacific Metals Corp.
Tel: +1-604-653-9464
Email:
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is
defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy
or accuracy of this release.
Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Information
Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that
involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of SPMC. In making the forward-looking
statements, SPMC has applied certain assumptions that are based on information available to the
Company, including SPMC's strategic plan for the near and mid-term. There is no assurance that
such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially
from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements may involve various risks and
uncertainties affecting the business of the Company. These forward-looking statements can generally
be identified as such because of the context of the statements, including such words as "believes,"
"anticipates," "expects," "plans", "may", "estimates", or words of a similar nature. Forward-looking
statements or information in this news release relate to, among other things: the start of the drilling
within the next month. These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's
current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions
that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational,
business, economic, regulatory, or other unforeseen uncertainties and contingencies. These
assumptions include, without limitation: success of the Company's projects, prices for metals
remaining as estimated, currency exchange rates remaining as estimated, availability of funds for the
Company's projects, capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates, prices for energy inputs,
labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation), no labour-related disruptions, no
unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction and production, all necessary permits,
licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner, and the ability to comply with
environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. The
Company cautions the reader that forward-looking statements and information involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and developments to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information
contained in this news release and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or
related to many of these factors. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-
looking information. Such factors include, without limitation: fluctuations in gold prices, fluctuations in
prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation),
fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar), operational
risks and hazards inherent with the business of mineral exploration, inadequate insurance or inability
to obtain insurance to cover these risks and hazards, the Company's ability to obtain all necessary
permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner, changes in laws, regulations and
government practices, including environmental, export and import laws and regulations, legal
restrictions relating to mineral exploration, increased competition in the mining industry for equipment
and qualified personnel, the availability of additional capital, title matters and the additional risks
identified in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+
(
www.sedarplus.ca
). Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as
anticipated, estimated, described, or intended. Investors are cautioned against undue reliance on
forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date
hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume
any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Mineralization hosted
on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the
Company's property.
Appendix 1
Table 1.
Latest campaign rock chips from Ontenu NE. with significant
Au in the mineralied outcrop
described in the text Au highlighted in red. All coordinates in WGS 84 Zone 55.
Sample
ID
Easting
Northing
Sample
Type
Summary Description
Silver
(g/t Ag)
Gold
(g/t Au)
Copper
(ppm)
Copper
(%)
E21021
365645
9295635
CHANNEL
(1m)
fault breccia, graphitic sediments, quartz, sulphides
60
0.85
156
0.02
E21022
365645
9295633
CHANNEL
(1m)
fault breccia, graphitic sediments, quartz, sulphides
56
1.47
153
0.02
E21023
365646
9295632
CHANNEL
(1m)
fault breccia, graphitic sediments, quartz, sulphides
28
1.21
233
0.02
E21024
365646
9295631
CHANNEL
(1m)
fault breccia, graphitic sediments, quartz, sulphides
100
2.18
1,427
0.14
E21025
365646
9295629
CHANNEL
(1m)
fault breccia, graphitic sediments, quartz, sulphides
337
2.65
6,312
0.63
E21026
365646
9295629
CHANNEL
(1m
duplicate)
fault breccia, graphitic sediments, quartz, sulphides
603
3.95
11,824
1.18
E21027
365647
9295628
CHANNEL
(1m)
fault breccia, graphitic sediments, quartz, sulphides
142
1.14
2,249
0.22
E21028
365646
9295626
CHANNEL
(1m)
Oxidized limonite/hematite veinlets after sulphides
(fault breccia)
6
0.11
319
0.03
E21029
365645
9295625
CHANNEL
(1m)
Oxidized limonite/hematite veinlets after sulphides
(fault breccia)
54
0.32
113
0.01
E21030
365639
9295667
Rock Chip
1m wide shear with bleached meta-sediments.
Gossanous layers
2
0.05
44
0.00
E21031
365655
9295696
Rock Chip
Oxidized / gossanous vein 0.5m on porphyry dyke
contact
5
0.26
101
0.01
E21032
365696
9295800
Rock Chip
(float)
Quartz vein with limonite and sulphides
39
0.42
268
0.03
E21033
365748
9295851
Rock Chip
Strong altered chlorite-sericite-pyrite (basalt?)
1
0.03
137
0.01
E21035
365687
9295922
Rock Chip
10-70cm wide breccia vein with boxwork silica
limonite/hematite vugs
8
0.70
18
0.00
E21036
365719
9295936
CHANNEL
(1m)
Breccia in conglomerate with sulphide in clasts and
veinlets in matrix
0.5
0.03
561
0.06
E21037
365955
9296330
Rock Chip
Massive sulphide vein in clay-silica within
conglomerate
4
0.43
74
0.01
E21038
365984
9296346
Rock Chip
10-30cm wide vein with sulphide
17
7.69
382
0.04
E21039
365693
9296109
Rock Chip
oxidized hornblende porphyry, disseminated to
blebby sulphide
1
0.09
205
0.02
E21040
365688
9296107
Rock Chip
Fractures in meta sediments / basalt with
disseminated sulphide
1
0.02
149
0.01
E21041
365684
9296116
Rock Chip
Hornblende porphyry with sulphides
0.5
0.02
106
0.01
E21042
365684
9296106
Rock Chip
(float)
Smoky quartz vein with vugs and sulphides
272
9.34
1,096
0.11
E21043
366263
9296432
Rock Chip
Porphyry diorite with chlorite-sericite and sulphide &
malachite
20
1.48
1,158
0.12
E21044
366267
9296436
Rock Chip
Diorite with leached sulphides, vuggy breccia veins
5
0.06
175
0.02
E21045
366272
9296436
Rock Chip
Diorite porphyry with trace pyrite and alteration
0.5
0.01
65
0.01
E21046
366349
9296603
Rock Chip
Polymict breccia with porphyry and shale clasts
0.5
0.03
119
0.01
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