Tartana Minerals Surges 30% as Maiden Gold Resource Pushes Total Past One Million Ounces

Investors Flock to Tartana Minerals After Doubling Gold Inventory

Tartana Minerals Limited (ASX: TAT), a small-cap mining company, has doubled its gold inventory overnight, and investors are starting to pay attention. Following the release of its maiden gold resource at the Cardross project in Queensland, this new estimate adds more than 500,000 ounces of gold to Tartana’s portfolio, lifting its total across Cardross and the nearby Mountain Maid deposit to over one million ounces. For a company previously known for its copper and zinc operations, this marks a major step toward becoming a multi-commodity player at the heart of Australia’s next mining district.

Gold prices above US$4000 per ounce have reignited investor appetite for emerging producers, and Tartana’s timing could not be better. With infrastructure already nearby and strong metallurgical results from earlier test work, the company may be on the verge of unlocking a scalable gold operation that complements its copper ambitions.

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Cardross Maiden Resource Positions Tartana for Dual Gold and Copper Revenue Streams

Tartana’s maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Cardross project outlined 50.4 million tonnes grading 0.31 grams per tonne gold for 502,000 ounces. This follows the 2023 resource at Mountain Maid, which contained 591,500 ounces. Combined, the Cardross–Maid region now exceeds one million ounces, transforming it into a potentially Tier-1 scale gold system. Importantly, the Cardross MRE was completed by Bluespoint Mining Services using robust geological modeling and conservative assumptions, ensuring reliability. Several high-grade intersections from historical drilling, such as 6 metres at 3.0 g/t gold and 4.8% copper, also suggest polymetallic upside that could further enhance project economics through by-product credits.

From a strategic standpoint, this development aligns neatly with Tartana’s goal of consolidating multiple deposits within trucking distance of the Mungana processing plant. The company is currently negotiating access to the plant, which could allow for toll treatment of Tartana’s copper ore and, with minor modifications, gold recovery via a carbon-in-leach circuit. If successful, Tartana could generate dual revenue streams from a single facility, significantly reducing capital intensity and accelerating time to cash flow. Ore-sorting trials in nearby deposits have shown up to eightfold grade improvement, hinting at further upside if similar results can be replicated at Cardross.

The Investor’s Takeaway for TAT

Looking ahead, Tartana’s challenge lies in execution. The company plans additional drilling to upgrade the resource from Inferred to Indicated, which would allow for scoping and feasibility studies. Native Title negotiations for the pending mining leases remain ongoing, and these could delay timelines by 12 to 18 months. Investors should monitor upcoming drilling results and partnership announcements in Q4 2025, which will be key catalysts for revaluation.

The opportunity lies in the combination of rising gold prices, strong local infrastructure, and a project that continues to grow with every drill hole. For now, Tartana offers speculative exposure to a company evolving into something much larger, with plenty of catalysts still to come.