Taruga Minerals (ASX:TAR) has reported multiple gold–silver rock chip results from its East Normanby Gold Project in Papua New Guinea that confirm mineralisation extends across the broader Weioko Gold District.
Taruga returned six samples above 0.50 grams per tonne gold from the Lataona Hill and Sipupu prospects, with standout results including 3.20g/t gold (Au) and 22g/t silver (Ag), 2.20g/t Au, and 1.00g/t Au with 30g/t Ag.
Non-Executive Chairman Paul Cronin says the northern Weioko assay results confirm what the geology has been telling the company.
“This is a large-scale epithermal gold system, not a single-deposit story. Multiple high-grade centres are emerging across Lataona Hill and Sipupu, the geochemical pathfinder suite is exactly what you want to see in a major low-sulphidation system, and the float signatures are pointing upstream into ground we can now access with our newly granted licences,” Cronin says.
The results support a structurally coherent gold-silver epithermal system across the northern district, with classic low-sulphidation textures including bladed quartz, vuggy silica, chalcedonic breccia and adularia observed.
Elevated arsenic and antimony pathfinders coincident with gold-silver values further support the interpreted gold-silver epithermal system.
Sample 701220 returned the highest grade of 3.20g/t Au with 22g/t Ag from oxidised quartz breccia at Sipupu, while Sample 701236 delivered 2.20g/t Au and 7.70g/t Ag from silicified breccia and quartz veining.
The majority of gold-bearing samples were recovered from drainage float, suggesting the source of mineralisation remains upstream and untested. Sample 701703 also returned 66g/t Ag, indicating the silver-bearing vein system may occur further upstream.
The broader Weioko district spans approximately 8km of strike from Sipupu in the north through Lataona Hill and Weioko to Wenasia in the south.
Surface sampling completed by Taruga in late 2025 and early 2026 returned rock chip results of up to 23.20g/t Au at Weioko and 2.40g/t Au with 82g/t Ag at Wenasia.
The company now holds 488km² of granted tenure across three exploration licences at East Normanby following the recent granting of EL2590, EL2830, and EL2831.
Taruga is advancing drill site preparation and access at the Weioko Gold deposit, where historical drilling returned intercepts including 64.6m @ 2.20g/t Au from surface and 108m @ 2.40g/t Au, including 28m @ 4.90g/t Au.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Taruga Minerals
