Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 6, 2025) - Great Pacific Gold Corp.(TSXV: GPAC) (OTCQX: FSXLF) (FSE: V3H) ("Great Pacific Gold," "GPAC," or the "Company") is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced at the high-priority Hampore target within the Kesar Project ("Kesar" or the "Project") in Papua New Guinea ("PNG"). Additionally, the Company has commenced a Mobile Magnetotelluric (MobileMT) geophysical survey across the broader project area to refine geological targets for future exploration and drilling.
Key Highlights:
Initial drilling at Hampore, which has commenced, is designed to test beneath a recently identified high-grade existing outcrop identified through mapping and rock chip sampling, which returned exceptional gold values, including: 110 g/t gold (KCRX24120) and 93.3 g/t gold (KCRX24119) - see release dated December 12, 2024.
High-resolution airborne Mobile MT geophysical surveyunderway to inform further drilling with approximately 450 line-kilometers flown to-date (52% complete)
Construction of multiple diamond drill pads is underway to test a variety of high-priority targets identified through geological mapping and high-grade rock chip sampling across Hampore.
"Drilling is well underway at Hampore, which has demonstrated exceptional grades and extensive sulphide mineralization in surface samples to-date," stated Greg McCunn, CEO of Great Pacific Gold "We are quickly testing our theory that Hampore and Fufunambi in the East Vein Zone represent the core feeder zone of the extensive system that makes up Kesar. The Mobile MT survey and the key observations made recently by our team and consultants will be invaluable in gaining a more fulsome understanding of this tremendous Project."
Geological Insights from Hampore
Preliminary geological interpretations by Great Pacific Gold geologists aided by Dr. Gregg Morrison, a consultant to GPAC, on the East Vein System at Hampore (Figure 1) shows:
The East Vein appears to be a part of an epizonal intermediate-sulfidation polymetallic lode system, likely linked to an intermediate intrusion.
Gold mineralization from rock chip samples appears to occur in two distinct styles:
Bonanza Free Gold in arsenopyrite-rich quartz veins, often associated with Bi, Te, and Se.
Electrum-Base Metal Veins within sulfide-rich breccias containing galena, sphalerite, and pyrite, enriched in Ag, As, Sb, Pb, and Zn.
Strong Vertical Mineralization Potential: The system exhibits well-defined metal zonation, transitioning from an As-Sb-Au zone into Pb-Zn-Ag and Cu-rich domains, indicating the potential for deeper gold-bearing structures.
Hydrothermal Breccias as Prime Targets: The best gold grades (up to 110 g/t Au) are found in hydrothermal breccias with fine crystalline quartz and arsenopyrite, suggesting late-stage mineralization overprinting earlier base metal phases.
These early observations on the geochemistry and mineralisation textures provide the crucial geological framework that will guide the interpretation of the MobileMT geophysical data, allowing for more accurate drill targeting.
Figure 1: Location map Hampore Target in the East Vein Zone.
The high-resolution airborne MobileMT geophysical survey, alongside new geological insights will help the Company to refine its exploration targets, enhance the geological model, and assist in identifying further high-priority drill targets.
The MobileMT survey, conducted in partnership with Expert Geophysics Surveys Inc. (EGS), is an advanced airborne geophysical technique (Figure 2) that passively detects naturally occurring electromagnetic fields to map deep-seated geological structures. Unlike conventional airborne EM methods, MobileMT offers:
Superior Depth Penetration - Imaging structures and mineralized zones down to 1 kilometre depth.
Enhanced Structural Resolution - High-resolution data capable of mapping fault zones, intrusive contacts, and hydrothermal alteration pathways.
Broad Sensitivity - Effective in both highly conductive and resistive geological environments, making it ideal for detecting both porphyry and epithermal mineral systems.
Seamless Integration with Geochemistry - Providing a deep structural framework that complements surface sampling and geological mapping.
The survey will cover 877 line-kilometers across a 126 km² area (Figure 3), focusing on major structural corridors and mineralized trends at Hampore. The dataset will integrate high-resolution magnetics and very-low-frequency (VLF) EM data, offering a multi-layered interpretation of the subsurface. Approximately 450 line-kilometers of the survey have been completed to-date.
Figure 2: Mobilization of Pacific Helicopters Aircraft (H125 B3e P2-PHS) and Expert Geophysics MobileMT equipment at Kesar, PNG.
Data from the MobileMT survey will undergo advanced processing and 3D inversion modeling, with preliminary results available within 15-20 days of survey completion. Final interpretations will follow within eight weeks. The highest-priority targets-where deep geophysical anomalies align with structurally controlled gold mineralization-will be integrated into the follow up drilling program at Kesar.
"The integration of advanced airborne geophysics and the ongoing refinement of our geochemical and structural models provides a powerful exploration framework for Hampore," stated Callum Spink, VP Exploration of Great Pacific Gold. "This combined approach, which includes the utilization of Mobile Magnetotelluric (MT) surveys-a technique successfully employed by other exploration companies in Papua New Guinea, such as K92 Mining-gives us the confidence to target deeper extensions of known high-grade gold zones and uncover new mineralized systems."
The Company will provide updates as drilling progresses and airborne survey data becomes available.
Figure 3: Kesar airborne survey flight plans, featuring 200m line spacing with higher resolution 100m line spacing over Hampore and Fufunambi.
On behalf of Great Pacific Gold Greg McCunn, Chief Executive Officer and Director
For further information visit gpacgold.com or contact: Email: info@gpacgold.com
About Great Pacific Gold
Great Pacific Gold has a portfolio of exploration stage projects in Papua New Guinea ("PNG") and Australia. The Company is focused on developing gold-copper resources from its highly prospective land packages. Its core projects include:
Wild Dog - located in the East New Britain province of PNG, Wild Dog is a brownfield exploration project with a history of small-scale gold mining. The project contains numerous epithermal and porphyry hydrothermal-magmatic targets evidenced by previous exploration and operations. The Company expects to begin and extensive exploration program in Q1 2025 at Wild Dog.
Kesar - located in the Eastern Highlands province of PNG and contiguous with K92 Mining's mine tenements, Kesar is a greenfield exploration project with several high priority targets in close proximity to the property boundary with K92. Multiple epithermal veins at Kesar are on strike and have the same orientation of key K92 deposits such as Kora. Exploration work to date by GPAC at Kesar has shown that these veins have high grades of gold present in outcrop and very elevated gold in soil grades, coincident with aeromagnetic highs.
Arau - located in Eastern Highlands province of PNG, the Arau Project contains the highly prospective Mt. Victor exploration target with potential for a high sulphidation epithermal gold-base metal deposit. A Phase 1 Reverse Circulation drilling program was completed at Mt. Victor in August 2024, with results pending. The Arau project includes the Elandora licence which also contains various epithermal and copper-gold porphyry targets.
Lauriston - located in the state of Victoria, Australia, the Lauriston project is located on the southern extension of the Fosterville Goldfield Belt and is adjacent to Agnico Eagle's extensive Fosterville tenements and mine operations. Lauriston contains the Comet-Trojan target, a 4.5km long epizonal orogenic system. The discovery hole at Comet intersected 8m at 105 g/t gold and a follow-up drilling program was completed in Q3 2024. The Company is consolidating its information on the Lauriston project and expects to publish an NI 43-101 compliant technical report.
Walhalla - located in the state of Victoria, Australia, the Walhalla project consists of over 1,400km2 of concessions including the numerous historical mining operations and the recently acquired Woods Point land package. The Company is consolidating its information on the Walhalla project and expects to publish an NI 43-101 compliant technical report. Walhalla contains a high-priority greenfield target called Pinnacles. Extensive soil geochemistry has highlighted a 400m x 1,100m gold mineralized aplitic dyke which contains disseminated sulphides and outcrops at surface. The Pinnacles target is fully permitted and ready for drilling.
The Company also holds a number of other exploration projects including the recently acquired Tinga Valley Project.
Quality assurance/quality control
All assays were subject to quality control measures appropriate for reconnaissance rock chip sampling with duplicates, blanks and commercially available standards with the expected results from the samples submitted. All assays were conducted by Intertek Minerals Ltd. (ISO: 9001), located in Lae, Papua New Guinea, using fire assay techniques with a 50-gram charge and ICP-MS finish (4 acid digest). Overrange samples were tested using ICP-OES (4 acid). The quality control results are consistent.
Qualified Person
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Callum Spink, the Company's Vice President, Exploration, who is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, MAIG, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Spink is responsible for the technical content of this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Great Pacific Gold cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Great Pacific Gold's limited operating history, its exploration and development activities on its mineral properties and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Great Pacific Gold does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.
Neither 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.
