Aruma Resources Ltd (ASX:AAJ) has identified an expanded mineralised footprint and several high-priority exploration targets at its Saltwater Project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region following a new round of soil sampling.
The company said the latest results point to the potential for a large polymetallic and gold-bearing system at the project’s Saltwater Dome and Tunnel Creek target areas, strengthening the case for further exploration and potential drilling campaigns.
The Saltwater project, located about 120 kilometres southwest of Newman, sits within the Ashburton structural corridor — a region considered prospective for gold and base metals.
Regional location map showing Saltwater Project, Western Australia.
“The latest results from our ongoing exploration programs at the Saltwater Project represent a significant advancement in delineating high-priority targets within the Saltwater Dome and Tunnel Creek areas,” Aruma managing director Grant Ferguson said.
“At Saltwater Dome, the expanding geochemical footprint — supported by robust multi-element anomalism including untested copper and gold signatures — highlights the substantial scale and untapped potential of this emerging system. These findings build on prior work and reinforce the project’s prospective geology for gold and base metal mineralisation.”
Soil sampling highlights emerging mineral system
The recent exploration campaign involved collecting 741 soil samples across the Saltwater Dome and Tunnel Creek target areas to refine previously identified anomalies and identify new zones of interest.
At Saltwater Dome, 497 samples were collected across a reconnaissance grid designed to test the broader structure and potential extensions of known mineralised zones.
Key outcomes from the program included:
- Gold values of up to 845 parts per billion (ppb), accompanied by elevated copper, lead, zinc and bismuth
- Expanded coincident gold and polymetallic anomalies at the Saltwater Pool and Oracle prospects
- Mineralised footprints now interpreted to cover about 3 square kilometres at Saltwater Pool and 1.3 square kilometres at Oracle
The anomalies are spatially associated with favourable host rocks, including the Cheela Springs Basalt and Mt McGrath siltstone formations.
Aruma said the combination of multi-element anomalism and geological setting suggests the potential presence of a significant hydrothermal mineral system at Saltwater Dome.
The company also noted that a circular copper anomaly at the Saltwater Pool prospect remains largely untested by drilling, indicating additional exploration potential.
Saltwater Dome Soil Samples with Gold and Copper Anomaly Contours.
Tunnel Creek identifies priority gold target
A separate soil sampling program at the Tunnel Creek area focused on refining previously identified geochemical anomalies across the Luke, Padme and Rabbit prospects.
The program collected 244 soil samples over an area of roughly 22 square kilometres.
Results confirmed the Luke Prospect as a standout target, defined by a multi-element anomaly featuring elevated gold, antimony and bismuth — a pathfinder association commonly linked to orogenic or intrusion-related gold systems.
The anomaly covers about 1.65 square kilometres and follows a northeast–southwest trend consistent with regional geological structures that may control mineralisation.
While gold assays at Luke reached up to 35ppb, the broader geochemical signature across the area reinforces its potential as a priority exploration target.
Encouraging early indicators were also identified at the Padme and Rabbit prospects, which the company said warrant additional work to better understand their mineralisation potential.
Next phase to advance drill targets
Aruma plans to continue exploration work across the Saltwater project with a focus on refining targets ahead of potential drilling.
Upcoming activities are expected to include:
- Geological mapping and additional infill soil sampling
- Electromagnetic and gradient array geophysical surveys
- Review and potential relogging of earlier reverse circulation drilling samples
The company aims to use the new datasets to advance priority targets to drill-ready status during 2026.
The Saltwater work adds to a busy period of exploration activity across Aruma’s broader portfolio. The company recently confirmed the presence of heavy mineral sands assemblages at its Wilan project in South Australia’s Eromanga Basin following maiden reconnaissance sampling, while also launching a ground-based electromagnetic survey at its recently acquired Tillex copper–silver project in Ontario aimed at refining drill targets.
Aruma holds four exploration licences at the Saltwater project covering about 450 square kilometres, with the company maintaining 100% ownership of the tenements.
The company said the latest results strengthen its confidence in the project’s potential to host multiple styles of mineralisation, including volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) and structurally controlled orogenic gold systems.