Western Exploration drills 1.71g/t gold over 74.22 metres at Aura, Nevada
Western Exploration Inc. [WEX-TSXV; WEXPF-OTCQX] reported additional assay results for three holes from the phase 1 drill program at Doby George, one of three main mineral deposits located at the company’s wholly owned Aura project in Elko County, Nevada.
Drilling highlights included hole DGC791 that intersected 74.22 metres of 1.71 g/t gold, including 30.78 metres of 2.48 g/t gold. DGC792 intersected 40.39 metres of 2.18 g/t gold. DGC793 intersected 26.98 metres of 2.12 g/t gold and 19.20 metres of 1.46 g/t gold.
Darcy Marud, CEO and director of Western Exploration, commented: “Holes DGC791 to DGC793, have all been completed in the West Ridge and Daylight areas at Doby George. We have now received assays results for five of the nine drill holes completed at Doby George and all of them demonstrate the remarkable continuity of high grade, near surface, oxide gold mineralization at Doby George.”
The complete results for holes DGC791, DGC792 and DGC793 are reported in the original press release. Assay results for the remaining four drill holes are pending.
The Phase 1 drill program was comprised of nine large diameter (PQ) core holes which were completed between July 26, 2022, and September 12, 2022. The drill holes were located at eight different drill sites for a total of 1,138 meters at the Doby George deposit.
The purpose of the Phase 1 drill program was to evaluate areas within, and adjacent to, the current resource boundary to validate and delineate current mineral resources; locally assess for the expansion potential and structural controls on mineralization; provide samples for metallurgical test work to outline leach kinematics, as well as mineralized material and waste rock characteristics; and expand upon geotechnical studies through additional test work.
Hole DGC791 was completed in the West Ridge resource area of Doby George, which accounts for approximately 82% of the current mineral resource estimate at Doby George. Holes DGC792 and DGC793 were drilled in the Daylight deposit area of Doby George. All three drill holes showed very positive FA grade distribution when compared to the resource block model prepared for the Company by Mine Development Associates.
All three West Ridge holes released YTD, including DGC791 in this release, show robust AuCN/AuFA ratios in excess of 90%. Holes DGC792 and DGC793, drilled in the Daylight deposit, show more variable AuCN/AuFA ratios (in line with legacy metallurgical reports) but still average between 71 and 83% for the three reported intervals.
Once assays results have been received for all nine drill holes completed in connection with the Phase 1 drill program, McClelland labs will commence certain heap leach and column leach test work with the previously crushed and assayed samples. The company expects to receive the results of all metallurgical test work at the start of Q2 2023.
Doby George is one of the highest-grade, undeveloped open pit heap leach resources in Nevada and one of three mineral deposits on Western Exploration’s Aura Project. The Aura Project is located 32 km north of the Jerritt Canyon mine, which has been in continual operation since 1981.
| The Aura Project has well established infrastructure including year-round accessibility by highway and county-maintained road and nearby access to water and electricity. Western Exploration has exploration, development, and mining rights on 930 hectares of privately owned fee lands through a mineral lease agreement with a local landowner and may purchase those fee lands at any time for the development of Doby George. |
The company’s principal asset is the 100%-owned Aura gold-silver project, located approximately 120 km/75 miles north of the city of Elko, Nevada, and includes three unique gold and silver deposits: Doby George, Gravel Creek, and Wood Gulch.