Great Pacific Gold Corp. (TSXV: GPAC, OTCQX: FSXLF, FSE: V3H) is making waves in Papua New Guinea’s mining sector, and that’s not just a matter of increased drilling meters. Instead of resting on early results at its flagship Wild Dog Project in East New Britain, the company has doubled its Phase 1 drill program from 2,500 meters to 5,000 meters, a decision driven by the kind of high-grade gold-copper intercepts that can energize an exploration team and spark fresh interest among industry watchers.
The company kicked off Phase 1 drilling in May 2025, targeting a 1.5 kilometer stretch of the Wild Dog epithermal vein corridor. This is a zone known for its geological promise, but one where every new core tells a tighter story. Through nine completed diamond drill holes, and a tenth underway, GPAC has confirmed both near-surface and deeper mineralization. Some assay highlights include 7 meters grading 11.2 grams per tonne gold equivalent from 65 meters in hole WDG-02, and 3.5 meters at 13.1 grams per tonne gold equivalent from just 12 meters in WDG-06. Deeper down, WDG-07 returned 10 meters at 4.0 grams per tonne gold equivalent from 153 meters, adding confidence that the structure persists across depths.
When strong results like these start pouring in, expanding the drilling is a logical next step. The program now includes 28 planned diamond drill holes and stretches into early 2026. What’s compelling for those familiar with mining cycles is that drilling to date has only tested a sliver of the Wild Dog corridor. The mineralized zone is still open, north, south, and at depth, which means the story here is just beginning, not winding down.
Of particular interest is the Sinivit Target, one of the project’s hottest spots, and the site of several recent high-grade hits. The Phase 1 expansion wasn’t just motivated by the numbers in the latest assays, but also by new geophysical data. Recent work mapping MobileMT electromagnetic responses has clarified that the epithermal system at Wild Dog is far larger than initially mapped. There’s also a tantalizing possibility of a nearby porphyry copper-gold system, similar in geological setting to PNG’s world-class Wafi-Golpu deposit. While no one is claiming that Wild Dog and Wafi-Golpu are twins, the analogy provides context for the scale and type of potential currently being explored.
According to CEO Greg McCunn, the final hole in this phase at Sinivit will be a major step-out to the north, targeting an area with no historic drilling but promising geophysical continuity. That’s not just filling gaps in data, it’s a strategic move to lay the groundwork for the next phase. Pending assay results from holes WDG-08 and WDG-09 are expected next month, which could add further momentum if results are in line with earlier successes.
Beyond drilling, Great Pacific Gold is ramping up its target definition tools. They’re rolling out a high-precision LiDAR and large-format airborne imagery survey across the entire Wild Dog district. This isn’t just high-tech window dressing: in dense PNG jungle terrain, the ability to model digital terrain with sub-10 centimeter vertical accuracy can be a game changer. The survey, set for August 2025, couples Teledyne Galaxy LiDAR and Vexcel UltraCam Eagle imaging systems to refine both geological mapping and operational planning. For a project with vast strike length and vertical potential, advanced data acquisition ensures that future drill targets are chosen with as much precision as possible.
GPAC’s ambitions in PNG aren’t confined to Wild Dog, either. The company also manages several other exploration projects, including Kesar and Arau, both situated near producing assets of K92 Mining, a recognized name in the region. At Kesar, exploration has identified epithermal veins with high gold grades in outcrop and soils, coincident with aeromagnetic anomalies, while at Arau, a recent phase of drilling delivered encouraging results at the Mt. Victor target. These projects will see further drilling through 2026, consolidating GPAC’s presence in an area well known for copper and gold mineralization.
Technical assurance remains a focus. Core samples from Wild Dog are sent to Intertek Minerals in Lae, a certified lab, and are handled according to strict QAQC protocols. With expanded drilling underway, advanced mapping tools in place, and fresh assays expected, Great Pacific Gold’s narrative in PNG appears to be gaining both depth and traction.
