Vancouver, British Columbia -
Newsfile Corp. - 11 November 2025 -
South Pacific Metals Corp. (TSXV: SPMC) (OTCQB: SPMEF) (FSE: 6J00) ("
SPMC" or the "
Company")
is pleased to announce receipt of multi-element rock chip assay results
from samples of mineralized structures, 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 from Ontenu NE latest rock chips
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Multi-element results received that complement previously received gold results* (in brackets below) from a
3m wide fault zone &
splay structures within a
zone of structures about 19m wide at the
Onki Fault area (shown as the Onki Fault area in Figure 1 and detailed in Figure 2).
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21.2% Cu, 214 g/t Ag, (0.41 g/t Au) (0.25m massive sulphide in splay structure)
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18.1% Cu, 310 g/t Ag, (0.32 g/t Au) (0.7m splay structure)
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12.4% Cu, 131 g/t Ag, (1.21 g/t Au) (0.2-0.5m splay structure)
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0.2% Cu, 32 g/t Ag, (8.6 g/t Au) (1m wide channel sample in fault breccia)
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In a separate zone* at Ontenu NE, some 700m west of the Onki Fault, as shown on Figure 1.
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1.2% Cu, 258 g/t Ag, & 8.65 % Zn, (9.34 g/t Au) in narrow quartz vein (0.25m)
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Mapping and sampling continue.
*Gold results previously released (refer release dated October 6, 2025), with multi-element results now received for Cu-Ag-Zn.
"Ontenu NE has produced some great copper assays to complement the previously released high-grade gold results,"
said Timo Jauristo, CEO of the Company. "The gold-base-metal
association in veins and faults is characteristic of intermediate
sulfidation epithermal deposits, similar to those being mined by K92
Mining to the north. As previously announced, we have recently commenced
drilling in the southern part of Ontenu NE. These new copper results
highlight the high potential of the entire Ontenu NE area, and we look
forward to drill testing all the structures that have been discovered."
Figure 1. Ontenu NE area target areas, rock chip results and mapped
structures. Refer to Appendix 1 for details on latest results. Refer
Figure 2 (Onki Fault area) & Figure 5 (Southern area)
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Figure 2. Onki Creek Fault area with detailed inset at the fault breccia exposure with multiple structures dominant in Au-Cu
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Figure 3. Bifurcating splay structure near the Onki Creek Fault.
Massive sulphide with grade of 21.2% Cu, 214g/t Ag and 0.41g/t Au.
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Ontenu NE latest results
The Ontenu NE prospect is part of the wider 5 x 3km epithermal footprint
of the Ontenu Prospect. Ontenu NE is a 2 sq km zone with multiple
structures outlined by surface mapping and soil geochemical anomalies,
up to 1200m strike length (Figure 1). The soil anomalies are currently
open to the northwest. Refer Appendix 1 for full table of rock results.
Onki Creek Zone at Ontenu NE
At the
Onki Creek Fault zone area (Figure 2) structures are Au-Cu-Ag
dominant and hosted primarily in diorite intrusives. The main fault zone
has a true width of approximately
3m, strikes NNE-SSW and dips 70
o to the WNW. The fault
zone is characterized by silica-clay altered breccia with variable and
at times abundant sulphide including pyrite and chalcopyrite. Samples
from the zone have returned
8.6 g/t gold, 32 g/t silver &
0.2 % copper from a 1m wide channel sample and
0.41 g/t gold,
214 g/t silver & 21.2 % copper from a 0.25m zone of massive sulphide on a splay structure adjoining the fault (Figure 3).
Several other near-vertical splay faults from the main Onki Creek Fault,
strike N-S to NNW-SSE and are mapped at between 20 and 70cm wide and
have returned rock chip sampling grades of
1.21 g/t gold,
131 g/t silver & 12.4 % copper and
0.32 g/t gold,
310 g/t silver & 18.1 % copper (Figure 2 & Figure 4). The
splay faults are inferred to link to a second series of NNE-SSW
striking structures, which have returned grades up to
1.48 g/t gold and 0.14% copper. Proximal to the Onki Creek Fault, the splays occur within a zone of multiple mineralized structures over at least
19m and overall, the distance from the Onki Creek Fault to the other NNE striking faults is approximately
90m currently interpreted to be a large dilational jog structure and loci for mineralization.
Figure 4. Onki Creek splay structures striking N-S to NNW-SSE and
sub-vertically dipping showing variable width and high-grade copper
mineralization grading 12.4% & 18.14% copper respectively
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Figure 5. Ontenu NE, southern area. Drilling is testing multiple
structures including the Au-Ag zones and intersecting the SW dipping
Au-Cu-Ag zone. Note: some previously reported Cu-Ag results have been
upgraded with re-assay. Refer release dated September 17, 2025.
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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 intrusive gold -copper epithermal and porphyry and 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 6. Kainantu District with SPMC's Osena Project (SW) and Anga Project (NE) relative to K92 Mining Ltd.'s deposits.
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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
Unless noted as a channel sample with width, rock samples are selective
grab samples and collected Company geologists in the field. Samples were
sent to the ITS (PNG) Ltd (Intertek) Laboratory in Lae. Gold assays
were conducted using 50g charge Fire Assay with Atomic Absorption
Spectra finish (Intertek Code FA50/AA), with a detection limit of
0.01ppm. Copper and silver assays were initially assayed with 3-acid
digest (Intertek Code PGGA03). Samples were then sent to Intertek
Australia 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:
info@southpacificmetals.ca
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.