Western Exploration Completes Transformative Cyanide Leach Test Work at Gravel Creek
Initial cyanide leach recoveries of 73.3% Au and 74.0% Ag from Gravity/Float Concentrate
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 80%-212µm (65 mesh) and producing a small gravity concentrate. The gravity tailing was reground to 80%-75µm (200 mesh) and subjected to flotation. The gravity and flotation concentrates were combined and reground to >95%-10µm (ultra-fine regrind) and subjected to cyanide leach. Gold and silver recoveries from the combined concentrate after ultra-fine regrinding were 75.4% and 76.5%, respectively, which was equivalent to 73.3% of the gold and 74.0% of the silver contained in the whole (gravity concentration) feed.
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 80%-212µm (65 mesh) and producing a small gravity concentrate. The gravity tailing was reground to 80%-75µm (200 mesh) and subjected to rougher flotation. The combined gravity and flotation concentrate was approximately 20% of the whole ore weight and had grades of 26.46 g/t Au and 1,433 g/t Ag. The rougher concentrate was not subjected to any cleaner flotation upgrading for this test work. The recoveries for gold and silver to the concentrate were 97.2% and 96.8%, respectively.
| Table 1. - Flotation Concentration Test Results, Gravel Creek | ||||||||
| G-1 Recombined Tails, 80%-75µm Feed Size (F-1) | ||||||||
| 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 >95%-10µm (ultra-fine regrind) and subjected to a 72-hour cyanide leach. Whole ore gold and silver recoveries were 73.3% for gold and 74.0% for silver.
| Table 2. - Combined Results, Gravity/Flotation Concentrate Ultra-Fine Regrind/Cyanide Leach | ||||||||
| 80%-212µm (Gravity), 80%-75µm (Flotation), >95%-10µm Combined Concentrate Regrind | ||||||||
| 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
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7771/314549_a282f8d884fb3afc_001full.jpg
Figure 2. Cross Section showing relationship of chargeability and Jarbidge mineralization
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7771/314549_a282f8d884fb3afc_002full.jpg
Scientific and Technical Information