Western Exploration Completes Transformative Cyanide Leach Test Work at Gravel Creek
Metallurgical cyanide leach results and new permits position Western Exploration to advance resource growth at Gravel Creek.
Rhea-AI Summary
Western Exploration (WEXPF) reported updated metallurgical results for the Gravel Creek deposit indicating cyanide leach recoveries of 73.3% gold and 74.0% silver from gravity/flotation concentrates after ultra-fine regrinding.
The combined gravity and flotation concentrate represented about 20% of whole ore weight and achieved concentrate recoveries of 97.2% gold and 96.8% silver from a composite grading 5.49 g/t Au and 298 g/t Ag. Additional test work on cyanide tails is underway to improve overall metal recoveries. Western also completed 3D modelling and geophysical interpretation that, in the company’s view, support the potential to double the current Gravel Creek resource through a focused diamond drill program.
The company is fully permitted and bonded for 46 drill sites and access roads and has a new water lease for up to 14 acre-feet per year, making the resource expansion program drill-ready.
Positive
- Cyanide leach recoveries of 73.3% Au and 74.0% Ag from whole-ore basis using gravity/flotation concentrate regrind
- Concentrate recoveries of 97.2% Au and 96.8% Ag from a 5.49 g/t Au, 298 g/t Ag composite
- 46 drill sites fully permitted and bonded with associated access roads for resource expansion drilling
- Water lease signed for access to up to 14 acre-feet of water per year to support drilling activities
Negative
- PEA-based project remains preliminary with inferred resources and no demonstrated economic viability under NI 43-101
Details
News Market Reaction – WEXPF
On Sep 16, the day this news came out, WEXPF closed 0.37% below the previous close.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Sep 16 session.
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Initial cyanide leach recoveries of
Permitting and bonding completed for 46 drill sites as part of resource expansion drill program
Reno, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - September 16, 2026) - Western Exploration Inc. (TSXV: WEX) (OTCQX: WEXPF) ("Western" or the "Company") announces that it has received updated metallurgical test work from the Gravel Creek deposit that demonstrates the possibility of cyanide leaching of gravity and flotation concentrates in on-site processing. In addition, the Company has completed 3D modelling and geophysical interpretations that demonstrate the resource expansion potential of the project.
Darcy Marud, CEO of Western, commented: "This is a major breakthrough for Gravel Creek as it indicates that Gravel Creek is not entirely refractory and that the majority of the gold and silver in concentrate is actually recoverable by cyanide leaching after fine grinding. We will continue to do additional test work to determine the most profitable recovery scenario for Gravel Creek mineralization. This round of testing confirms multiple processing options which will all be examined to provide the best scenario for our shareholders in terms of both decreasing capex requirements and increasing profit margins."
Mr. Marud further commented: "In addition, the Company is fully permitted and bonded for 46 drill sites and associated access roads that cover key extensions of the Gravel Creek and Jarbidge deposits, as well as additional targets along the Tomasina Fault zone. The resource expansion program is drill-ready for implementation with the goal of doubling the current Gravel Creek resource."
Gravel Creek Metallurgical Test Work
In June 2026, Western contracted McClelland Laboratories of Reno, Nevada to complete cyanide leach metallurgical work on sample rejects from the 2024 Gravel Creek diamond drill program. The test work was designed to determine the viability of cyanide leaching of gravity and flotation concentrates produced from Gravel Creek.
The test work consisted of grinding whole ore to
Previous metallurgical test work at Gravel Creek and Jarbidge has been presented and discussed in the technical report entitled "Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Doby George Deposits and Updated Resource Estimate for the Gravel Creek Gold-Silver Deposits, Aura Gold-Silver Project, Elko County, Nevada" dated October 1, 2025 (with an effective date of June 17, 2025), which was prepared for Western and is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western's issuer profile (the "PEA Technical Report"). The PEA Technical Report demonstrated that a high-grade sulphide concentrate of gold and silver can be produced from whole ore grinding and flotation and recommended follow-up cyanide leaching.
Metallurgical Test Work and Methodology
Coarse assay rejects from diamond drill holes WG458 - WG462 were combined to form a test composite weighing approximately 30 kilograms with a head assay of 5.49 g/t Au and 298 g/t Ag. The gold grades were representative of the average grade of Gravel Creek while the silver grades were higher given that the samples came from the new Jarbidge area which typically averages higher silver.
The test work consisted of grinding whole ore to
| Table 1. - Flotation Concentration Test Results, Gravel Creek | ||||||||
| G-1 Recombined Tails, | ||||||||
| Wt. | Assay | Au Distribution | Ag Distribution | |||||
| Product | % | gAu/mt | gAg/mt | % S= | % | Cum. % | % | Cum. % |
| Grav/Flot Conc. | 20.1 | 26.46 | 1,432.8 | 0.00 | 97.2 | 97.2 | 96.8 | 96.8 |
| Ro. Tail | 79.9 | 0.19 | 12.0 | 0.12 | 2.8 | 100.0 | 3.2 | 100.0 |
| Composite | 100.0 | 5.47 | 297.6 | 0.10 | 100.0 | 100.0 | ||
The gravity and flotation concentrates were combined and reground to >
| Table 2. - Combined Results, Gravity/Flotation Concentrate Ultra-Fine Regrind/Cyanide Leach | ||||||||
| Wt. | Assay | Au Distribution | Ag Distribution | |||||
| Product | % | gAu/mt | gAg/mt | % | Cum. % | % | Cum. % | |
| Grav/Flot Conc CN Extracted | 20.1 | 19.95 | 1,095.8 | 73.3 | 73.3 | 74.0 | 74.0 | |
| Grav/Flot Conc CN Tail | 6.51 | 337.0 | 23.9 | 97.2 | 22.8 | 96.8 | ||
| Flotation Ro. Tail | 79.9 | 0.19 | 12.0 | 2.8 | 100.0 | 3.2 | 100.0 | |
| Composite | 100.0 | 5.47 | 297.6 | 100.0 | 100.0 | |||
Additional test work is ongoing on the cyanide leach tails in Table 2 to better understand the deportment of precious metals to better improve overall recoveries by cyanide or alternative methods.
Gravel Creek Resource Expansion Plan
The Company has remained focused on the resource growth at Gravel Creek while also moving the Doby George project into permitting and development. Additional 3D modelling at Gravel Creek and the Jarbidge discovery indicate potential to double the size of the current resource through a focused diamond drill program. The program is based on new geology, structural and geophysical interpretation that shows the current Gravel Creek deposit and Jarbidge extension coincide with a strong chargeability anomaly that is open to the northeast, northwest and up dip and controlled by the Gravel Creek and South Gravel faults, Figures 1 and 2.
The Company is fully permitted and bonded for drilling 46 drill sites and associated access roads that cover key extensions of the Gravel Creek and Jarbidge deposits, as well as additional targets along the Tomasina Fault zone.
On July 9, 2026, Western signed a new water lease with Nevada Gold Mines LLC providing access to up to 14 acre-feet of water per year. The new water lease, in combination with USFS approval for drilling on up to 46 drill platforms, means the resource expansion program is ready to implement.
Figure 1. Plan view of Gravel Creek deposit and Jarbidge Extension related to Chargeability
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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7771/314549_a282f8d884fb3afc_001full.jpg
Figure 2. Cross Section showing relationship of chargeability and Jarbidge mineralization
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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7771/314549_a282f8d884fb3afc_002full.jpg
Scientific and Technical Information
The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mark Hawksworth, General Manager of Western's Aura Project, a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").
The preliminary economic assessment ("PEA") described in the PEA Technical Report is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
The PEA Technical Report is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western's issuer profile and was prepared by independent representatives of Kappes, Cassiday & Associates ("KCA") and RESPEC Company LLC ("RESPEC"), each of whom is a "qualified person" within the meaning of NI 43-101 and independent of Western for purposes of Section 1.5 of NI 43-101. At the effective date of the PEA Technical Report, each qualified person certified that, to the best of their knowledge, information, and belief, the parts of the PEA Technical Report for which they were responsible contain all scientific and technical information required to be disclosed to make the PEA not misleading. The affiliation and areas of responsibility for each qualified person involved in preparing the PEA are provided below:
Travis Manning, P.E. of KCA - processing design and costs, metallurgy, recovery and cash flow;
Mr. Michael S. Lindholm, C.P.G. of RESPEC - geology, database and MRE; and
Kyle Murphy, P.E. of RESPEC - open pit design, mine planning, scheduling and costing.
Metallurgical test program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") and the interpretation of results was performed by qualified persons employing a QA/QC program consistent with NI 43-101 and industry best practices.
About Western Exploration Inc.
Western Exploration is a Nevada-focused gold and silver developer advancing its
For further information, please contact:
Darcy Marud
Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: (775) 329-8119
Email: dmarud@westernexploration.com
Nichole Cowles
Investor Relations
Telephone: (775) 240-4172
Email: nicholecowles@westernexploration.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements, by their nature, require the Company to make certain assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. This news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to, among other things: the outcome and timing of the USFS review of the MPO, including the associated environmental review process; the ability of the Company to obtain required permits and approvals on anticipated timelines or at all; the completion and timing of the PFS and baseline environmental studies, including the timing and results of the ongoing Phase I hydrogeologic investigation, the Phase II hydrogeologic investigation anticipated in 2027, and the air quality, cultural, and paleontological surveys and reports referenced herein; the completion and results of the grid power feasibility study with Raft River Rural Electric Co-operative; the continuation of the drill program announced on July 28, 2026; and the prospects, if any, of the Doby George Project.
Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the outcome of the regulatory review process; delays in USFS review or additional information requests; the results of the Power Study; the ability of exploration activities to accurately predict mineralization; errors in management's geological modelling; property and royalty interests in respect of the Aura project; the global economic climate; metal prices; dilution; environmental risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Western Exploration cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. Western Exploration does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.
For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward‐looking statements and forward-looking information made in this news release concerning Western Exploration, see the Company's continuous disclosure filings, including its most recent management's discussion and analysis, available electronically under Western Exploration's issuer profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
Neither the 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 news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/314549
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What metallurgical methodology was used in the Gravel Creek cyanide leach test work?
The test composite of approximately 30 kilograms from drill holes WG458–WG462 was ground to 80%-212µm for gravity concentration, with gravity tails reground to 80%-75µm for rougher flotation. The combined gravity and flotation concentrates, representing about 20% of the whole ore weight, were then reground to >95%-10µm (ultra-fine regrind) and subjected to a 72-hour cyanide leach to determine whole-ore gold and silver recoveries.
What drilling and target areas are covered by the 46 permitted drill sites?
The 46 permitted and bonded drill sites and associated access roads cover key extensions of the Gravel Creek and Jarbidge deposits, as well as additional targets along the Tomasina Fault zone. The company states that this layout is designed to test areas where geology, structure and geophysics indicate potential resource expansion.
How does the company describe the status and limitations of its Preliminary Economic Assessment?
The Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Aura project is described as preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources considered too speculative geologically to be categorized as mineral reserves. The disclosure states there is no certainty the PEA will be realized and notes that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability, consistent with NI 43-101 requirements.