Oceania Project
Kuma Property
Overview
The 100% owned Kuma Property spans 45 km² and hosts a drill-ready porphyry target with the potential for a large-scale system, comparable to the Panguna Mine (19.3 Moz Au & 5.3 Mt Cu)1. Surface exploration has identified a kilometer-scale lithocap, while grab samples have returned high-grade values of up to 11.7% Cu and 13.5 g/t Au, confirming strong mineralization.
- Bougainville Copper Ltd. Annual Report, 2016 (1.5 Mt containing 16.1 Moz Au at 0.33 g/t and 4.6 Mt Cu at 0.3 % Indicated, 300 Mt containing 3.2 Moz Au 0.4 g/t and 0.7 Mt Cu Inferred)
Location and Infrastructure
The Kuma property lies 37 km to the southeast of the capital city Honiara on the southern side of Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands. The property benefits from year-round access and drilling potential, 20km from Goldridge producing mine (power supply and mill), and boarders the ocean for excellent shipping and transport potential. Kuma is easily accessible via daily flights to Honiara with a 37 km helicopter ride or 155 km boat to the property.
Geology and Mineralization
Miocene Suta Volcanics have been mapped over the majority of the Kuma Property intruded by diorites of the Koloula Complex. Mbirao Group mafic and ultra-mafic basement rocks are present on the northeast portion of the property. Initial exploration at the Kuma property began in the 1990s, with the identification of massive, oxidized boulders, which were subsequently traced upstream to Alemba Creek in 2007 leading to the delineation of the Kuma prospect. Between 2007 and 2019, exploration efforts included soil and rock geochemical sampling, geological and alteration mapping, and airborne geophysical surveys. Hyperspectral analysis defined a >2 km lithocap with well-developed phyllic, argillic, and advanced argillic alteration assemblages, indicative of a high-sulphidation epithermal to porphyry-style system. Geochemical data revealed kilometer-scale anomalies in both gold and copper within the lithocap with high-grade values up to up to 11.7% Cu and 13.5 g/t Au, highlighting significant, untested mineral potential.
The 2025/2026 exploration programs will further define mineralization through additional surface sampling, airborne geophysics and diamond drilling.
Maps & Figures
Image Gallery
