Western Exploration Initiates 2024 Drill Program at Gravel Creek

In This Article:

Figure 1. Cross section through drill holes WG456, WG457 and legacy holes showing continuity of +20 g/t AuEq grades on a dip length of potentially +200 meters (AuEq calculated at 85:1 Ag: Ag and assays are uncut). (Graphic: Business Wire)
Figure 1. Cross section through drill holes WG456, WG457 and legacy holes showing continuity of +20 g/t AuEq grades on a dip length of potentially +200 meters (AuEq calculated at 85:1 Ag: Ag and assays are uncut). (Graphic: Business Wire)
Figure 2. Plan view of 1700-meter elevation, showing Gravel Creek resource zone, +5 g/t Au legacy intercepts and location of cross sections targeted for 2024 oriented core drilling. (Graphic: Business Wire)
Figure 2. Plan view of 1700-meter elevation, showing Gravel Creek resource zone, +5 g/t Au legacy intercepts and location of cross sections targeted for 2024 oriented core drilling. (Graphic: Business Wire)

4,000 m drill program will target and offset the area of high-grade Au-Ag veins discovered in 2023

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 24, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Western Exploration Inc. (TSXV: WEX; OTCQX: WEXPF) (the "Company" or "Western Exploration") is pleased to announce the start of the 2024 drill program at the Company's wholly-owned Aura gold-silver project (the "Aura Project") in Nevada. The drilling will target the high-grade veins identified in the Jarbidge rhyolite east of the Gravel Creek deposit. Major Drilling [Group International Inc.] ("Major Drilling") has been contracted to supply two core drills for the oriented core drill program.

Focus for 2024 Drill Program

  • 2023 drilling identified a significant North-South trending/moderately west dipping zone with multiple high-grade Au-Ag bearing quartz-pyrite-marcasite vein, stockwork and hydrothermal breccias, located 140 meters to 250 meters east/north-east of the Gravel Creek resource area (see Figure 1).

  • Multiple +20 g/t AuEq intercepts in two parallel vein zones and associated splay structures have been traced along a dip length of over 200 meters, with drill widths ranging from 0.3 to 4.6 meters and individual assay grades up to 257 g/t Au and 1,800 g/t Ag.

  • Drilling will bracket the 2023 discovery section with an 80 meter step out drilling on strike to the north and south, as well as 80 meters up dip.

Significance of Results for Resource Expansion Potential

Western Exploration CEO, Darcy Marud, commented: "We are excited for the 2024 Drill program at Aura. In 2023, we identified a corridor of high-grade mineralization immediately adjacent to the Gravel Creek resource. Since the discovery of Gravel Creek in 2013, 19 drill holes have intersected significant grades and widths of this high-grade mineralization in the corridor. The 2024 drill program will focus on connecting these drill hole intercepts with sufficient drill density to add this new area to future Gravel Creek resource updates."

2024 Oriented Core Drilling will Follow up on Successful 2023 Drill Campaign

Oriented core data collected in 2023 identified an array of intersecting veins, stockwork and hydrothermal breccias following steep to shallow north-west to north-east trends that mimic the known structural controls of mineralization. The strongest correlation between 2023 holes WG456 and WG457 linked mineralized structures to a north/north-west trending corridor, with moderate dips west/south-west towards the main GC Fault zone. Multiple legacy intercepts along two sub-parallel veins zones show grades of over 20 g/t AuEq along a dip length of over 200 meters (Figure 1). Initial drilling in 2024 will bracket Discovery section 500N, with holes drilled along strike and up dip on 80-meter step outs (Figure 2).