- Western Exploration (WEX) has commenced the 2022 diamond drill program at its 100 per cent owned Aura project, in Elko County, Nevada
- The Drill Program forms a part of the recommended two-phase exploration program outlined in the company’s technical report on the Aura Project
- Doby George is one of the highest grade, undeveloped open pit heap leach resources in northeast Nevada
- Western Exploration is Nevada-focused precious metals exploration company
- Western Exploration Inc. (WEX) is up 8.91 per cent, trading at C$1.10 per share at 3:57 pm ET
Western Exploration (WEX) has commenced the 2022 diamond drill program at its Aura project, in Elko County, Nevada.
The drill program is part of the recommended two-phase exploration program outlined in the company’s technical report on the Aura Project. Phase 1 of the program calls for approximately 2,000 meters of extensive diameter core drilling in 10 to 12 drill holes at the Doby George mineral deposit.
The purpose of Phase 1 Drill Program is to evaluate areas within, and adjacent to, the current resource boundary to:
- validate and delineate current mineral resources;
- locally test for the expansion potential and structural controls on mineralization
- provide samples for metallurgical test work to outline leach kinematics, as well as ore
- and waste rock characteristics; and
- expand upon geotechnical studies through additional test work
The company will use the results, including all metallurgical testing and other exploration activities completed at the Aura Project, to determine the basis for completing Phase 2 of the exploration program on the Aura Project. It expects to focus on advancing the Doby
George deposit towards the completion of a pre-feasibility study.
Doby George is one of northeast Nevada’s highest grade, undeveloped open pit heap leach resources. It is one of three mineral deposits on Western Exploration’s 100 per cent owned Aura Project. The Aura Project is 32 kilometres north of the Jerritt Canyon mine, which has been operating since 1981.
The deposit is an outcropping, high-grade sediment-hosted mineral deposit. It has been defined by drilling along a strike length of approximately 2 kilometres and to a depth of roughly 250 meters, with the oxidation zone extending about 150 to 200 meters below the surface. Homestake Mining Company initially discovered the deposit in the mid-1980s. Since then, 827 drill holes have been completed, totalling 115,197 meters of drilling.
Metallurgical test work completed on oxidized material by Homestake Mining Company,
Independence Mining Company, and Atlas Precious Metals Inc., have indicated favourable
metallurgy for standard cyanide heap leach processing. Results from the previous metallurgical testing completed on 52 bottle rolls and 23 column leach samples indicate that heap leach gold recoveries approaching seventy per cent can be expected via a crush of 1 to 1.5 inches.
Western Exploration is Nevada-focused precious metals exploration company. It aims to be
a premier gold and silver development company in North America.
Western Exploration Inc. (WEX) is up 8.91 per cent, trading at C$1.10 per share at 3:57 pm ET.