Frontier Resources has outlined a strike length of more than 750 metres at its bonanza grade Taula gold vein prospect through a recently concluded reconnaissance exploration program at its Tolukuma gold project in Papua New Guinea. Previous trenching at the vein returned a 1.2m interval grading an astonishing 1,041 grams per tonne gold, with rock chip sampling delivering 118 g/t gold.
The seven-week field campaign at Taula consisted of mapping, rock chip sampling, soil sampling and trenching.
A total of 148 trench and rock chip samples have now been shipped to the labs with assays pending. Another 207 trench, rock and soil samples are also set to be dispatched for analysis soon.
Frontier says Taula has now been mapped as a sub-parallel vein to mineralised structures related to the adjacent Tolukuma gold mine – a high-grade, narrow epithermal vein hosted gold deposit.
According to the company, the interpreted extensions of mineralised structures from the Tolukuma mine stretch into Frontier’s ground and have enhanced the exploration potential of its own tenure.
Taula was discovered in the 1980s by gold mining heavyweight, Newmont Corporation. Previous drilling at the vein returned some eye-catching intercepts including 3.0m grading 16.19 g/t gold from 23m and 5.3m at 7.19 g/t gold from 37.6m.
Other high-grade results from past rock chip sampling at Taula include 66.6 g/t gold and 42.9 g/t gold. A 1m interval going 80.5 g/t gold was also returned from previous trenching at the vein.
Interestingly, Frontier has also defined an induced polarisation, or “IP” anomaly associated with intrusive and volcanic rocks at its tenure, some 200m east of Taula.
IP surveys are a geophysical method used extensively in mineral exploration to identify the electrical chargeability of subsurface materials such as ore.
Frontier believes the anomaly could potentially be related to a porphyry‐style copper target at Tolukuma.
A historical gold-in-soil anomaly also overlies the IP anomaly, according to the company.
Frontier plans to conduct further trenching and sampling at Taula, subject to results from its recently concluded exploration program. The works will aim to extend the strike length of the vein and pinpoint targets for future drill testing.
The company also intends to undertake mapping, sampling and trenching of the IP anomaly to nail down drill targets.
Follow-up exploration at other prospects at Tolukuma may also be on the agenda.
Given the historical grades dug up across the region, Frontier could turn a few heads if assays from its latest exploration foray at Taula deliver anything close to the bonanza grade gold the vein is already known to host.
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