Taruga Minerals Hits 33g/t Gold Across 8km PNG Corridor Ahead of First Drill
Key Takeaways
- Taruga Minerals recorded its highest gold grade to date at 33.1 g/t Au and 223 g/t Ag from a newly defined outcropping quartz vein at Wenasia, with five samples across Wenasia and Sipupu returning above 18 g/t Au.
- High-grade gold-silver mineralisation is now confirmed at surface across an approximately 8km structural corridor spanning four prospects — Weioko, Wenasia, Sipupu, and Lataona Hill — establishing district-scale potential across the East Normanby Gold Project.
- The systematic float-to-source methodology that produced these results mirrors the approach used at Gwamogwamo, another mineralised trend on Normanby Island, reinforcing the geological model across the broader project.
- Metallurgical testwork confirmed on 4 August 2026 showed favourable free-gold and silver recovery characteristics from Weioko Gold Deposit material, adding a processing confidence layer to the exploration results.
- A maiden diamond drill program at the Weioko Gold Deposit has a drilling contractor secured and mobilisation on track for end of September 2026, with assay results to be reported to the ASX as received.
High-grade gold-silver confirmed across Taruga’s 8km Weioko corridor
Rock chip sampling at the Wenasia and Sipupu prospects has returned exceptional gold-silver results across the Weioko Gold District at the East Normanby Gold Project on Normanby Island, Papua New Guinea. Taruga Minerals (ASX: TAR) has recorded its highest gold grade to date, with sample 701737 at Wenasia returning 33.1 g/t Au and 223 g/t Ag, from a newly defined outcropping quartz vein.
The results confirm district-scale mineralisation across an approximately 8km corridor running from Wenasia in the south to Sipupu in the northeast, with the two prospects representing distinct and newly located outcropping source vein systems.
Standout results from the 44 rock chip samples reported include:
- 33.1 g/t Au & 223 g/t Ag (sample 701737, Wenasia) — Taruga’s highest gold grade recorded to date
- 26.8 g/t Au & 349 g/t Ag (sample 701739, Wenasia)
- 24.5 g/t Au & 205 g/t Ag (sample 701740, Wenasia)
- 25.2 g/t Au & 867 g/t Ag (sample 701731, Sipupu)
- 18.0 g/t Au & 213 g/t Ag (sample 701229, Sipupu)
Of the 44 total samples, 14 returned above 0.5 g/t Au and 6 returned above 5 g/t Au, consistent with a large, structurally controlled epithermal system.
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What these results mean for the Weioko Gold District
Today’s results are the direct product of Taruga’s systematic exploration sequence. Float anomalism flagged at Sipupu in July 2026 was interpreted as pointing to an upstream mineralisation source. Follow-up sampling extended into the recently granted EL2831 tenement successfully located that outcropping source. At Wenasia, reconnaissance exploration identified and sampled across 40 metres of exposed epithermal quartz vein, with the vein system characterised by massive to vuggy, banded quartz with associated arsenopyrite and pyrite — textures consistent with a high-level, low-sulphidation epithermal vein system.
That methodology, using regional float and drainage sampling to vector toward mineralisation sources, has now converted anomalous float and single validation samples into multiple outcropping, high-grade vein systems across the district.
Taruga’s systematic approach to vectoring from float anomalism toward outcropping source veins mirrors the methodology that produced high-grade gold-copper results at Gwamogwamo, another mineralised trend on Normanby Island, reinforcing the district-scale potential across the broader East Normanby Gold Project.
A further positive workstream was confirmed on 4 August 2026, when metallurgical testwork on material from the Weioko Gold Deposit confirmed favourable free-gold and silver recovery characteristics.
District scale: three prospects, one connected system
The Weioko Gold Deposit is one of several known centres of mineralisation within the broader Weioko Gold District. Situated between Weioko and Sipupu is the Lataona Hill prospect, described as a Weioko “look-alike” supported by strong soil anomalism and a historic trench result of 92m @ 0.4 g/t Au at Lataona 2. That result is contextual historic data rather than a confirmed modern exploration result.
Critically, with high-grade gold-silver mineralisation now confirmed at surface across the full strike length of the corridor, the district encompasses Weioko, Wenasia, Sipupu, and Lataona Hill as part of a connected, mineralised system spanning approximately 8km.
Understanding low-sulphidation epithermal gold systems
A low-sulphidation epithermal system is a type of gold deposit formed when hydrothermal fluids, heated water and gases generated by magmatic activity, migrate upward through host rock and precipitate precious metals as conditions change. These systems are typically associated with vein-hosted, high-grade gold and silver mineralisation, making them a well-understood and sought-after deposit style for explorers.
Geologists use “pathfinder elements” such as arsenic and antimony as proxies for proximity to mineralised veins. Elevated arsenic and antimony values accompany the newly located source mineralisation at both Wenasia and Sipupu, consistent with the low-sulphidation epithermal signature already identified in the original float sampling across the broader district.
The consistent pathfinder signature across 44 samples reinforces the geological model and gives the company a systematic basis for prioritising follow-up targets. It is important to note that rock chip outcrop samples are selective by nature and are not representative of average deposit grade. They tell you where mineralisation exists at surface, not what the broader deposit grade may prove to be.
Assay results at a glance
| Sample ID | Prospect | Au (g/t) | Ag (g/t) | Sample Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 701737 | Wenasia | 33.1 | 223 | Rock Chip – Outcrop Sample |
| 701739 | Wenasia | 26.8 | 349 | Rock Chip – Outcrop Sample |
| 701740 | Wenasia | 24.5 | 205 | Rock Chip – Outcrop Sample |
| 701731 | Sipupu | 25.2 | 867 | Rock Chip – Outcrop Sample |
| 701229 | Sipupu | 18.0 | 213 | Rock Chip – Outcrop Sample |
All samples are rock chip outcrop samples and are not representative of average deposit grade.
Chairman Paul Cronin
“This is what disciplined exploration looks like. We flagged the Sipupu float sample as pointing to a source upstream back in July, and we walked straight to it. Wenasia has played out in a similar way, with these high-grade results validating a recent Director site visit observation where locals were panning gold in the Wenasia creeks. With high-grade outcropping vein systems confirmed across the 8km Weioko Gold District, and the maiden rig on track to mobilise at the end of this month, we’re heading into a high impact Q4 for Taruga.”
What comes next: maiden drill program and a growing target pipeline
The immediate forward catalyst is the maiden diamond drill program at the Weioko Gold Deposit. A drilling contractor has been secured and mobilisation is on track for end of September 2026. The program targets the Weioko Gold Deposit, including extension targets, with assay results to be reported to the ASX as they are received.
Wenasia and Sipupu are not being drilled imminently. Instead, they feed a growing drill target pipeline, with trenching and infill rock chip sampling the next steps at both prospects as the company works to define strike extent ahead of future drill targeting.
The next steps pipeline in full:
- Incorporate the newly located source vein systems at Wenasia and Sipupu into target ranking and geological modelling across the Weioko Gold District
- Advance trenching and infill rock chip sampling at both source vein zones to define strike extent ahead of drill targeting
- Commence maiden diamond drill program at the Weioko Gold Deposit, including extension targets, with end-September mobilisation on track
- Review re-processed historic geophysics (IP & CSAMT) at Weioko in conjunction with exploration data
- Continue systematic float and drainage sampling across the broader East Normanby Gold Project to identify further vectors to high-grade targets
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About Taruga Minerals and the East Normanby Gold Project
Taruga Minerals Limited is a Perth-based exploration company (ASX: TAR) with a district-scale gold-copper portfolio in Papua New Guinea. The East Normanby Gold Project on Normanby Island spans 488km² across three granted tenements (EL2590, EL2830, and EL2831), hosting the Weioko Gold District across an approximately 8km structural corridor.
The company holds a 12-month option to acquire 100% of the project through a staged, capital-efficient acquisition structure linked to defined JORC 2012 milestones.
Taruga is led by Chairman Paul Cronin and Non-Executive Director Eric De Mori, both of whom were co-founders and directors of Balkans polymetallic miner Adriatic Metals Ltd, which was sold in 2025 for A$1.5 billion to Dundee Precious Metals. They are supported by Technical Director David Chapman and Head of Exploration Brent Laws.
Note: the Weioko historic resource estimate (1.7Mt @ 1.36 g/t Au) is a historic estimate calculated to NI43-101 standard and is not reported in accordance with JORC Code 2012. A competent person has not done sufficient work to disclose a compliant mineral resource estimate under JORC Code 2012 at this time.
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