Western Exploration Intersects 74.22 Meters of 1.71 G/T Au and 40.40 Meters of 2.18 G/T Au from the Doby George Deposit at the AURA Project
WESTERN EXPLORATION INTERSECTS 74.22 METERS OF 1.71 G/T AU AND 40.40
METERS OF 2.18 G/T AU FROM THE DOBY GEORGE DEPOSIT AT THE AURA PROJECT
Vancouver, British Columbia – December 8, 2022 – Western Exploration Inc. (TSXV: WEX) (OTCQX: WEXPF)
(the "Company" or "Western Exploration") is pleased to provide 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, located in Elko County, Nevada (the "Aura Project").
DRILL HIGHLIGHTS
• DGC791 intersected 74.22 meters of 1.71 g/t Au, including 30.78 meters of 2.48 g/t Au
• DGC792 intersected 40.39 meters of 2.18 g/t AuFA
• DGC793 intersected 26.98 meters of 2.12 g/t Au and 19.20 meters of 1.46 g/t Au
Darcy Marud, Chief Executive Officer 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, DG C792 and DGC793 are reported below in Table 1, along with
assays reported on October 26. Assay results for the remaining four drill holes are pending.
Table 1. December 5, 2022, Doby George Drill Hole Results(1)
Hole Area
From
(m)
To
(m)
Drill Width
(m)
Est True Width
(m)
AuFA
(g/t)
AuCN
(g/t)
AuCN/AuFA
Ratio (3)
DGC 789(2) West Ridge 63.09 83.97 20.88 19.6 1.41 1.36 96%
and 89.15 112.78 23.63 22.2 3.27 2.94 90%
Including 89.15 96.47 7.32 6.9 5.27 4.67 89%
and 124.05 132.44 8.39 7.9 1.09 1.02 94%
DGC790(2) West Ridge 33.83 88.39 54.56 42.0 2.08 1.88 90%
Including 65.08 71.48 6.40 4.9 4.70 4.26 91%
DGC791 (3) West Ridge 14.78 89.00 74.22 54.0 1.71 1.63 95%
Including 41.15 71.93 30.78 22.0 2.48 2.41 97%
DGC792(3) Daylight 5.94 46.33 40.39 40.0 2.18 1.82 83%
DGC793(3) Daylight 24.99 51.97 26.98 25.0 2.12 1.66 79%
and 58.22 77.42 19.20 18.0 1.46 1.04 71%
Notes:
(1) Reported at a minimum of 3.0 metres @ 0.3 g/t cutoff.
(2) See news release of Western Exploration dated October 26, 2022 and entitled "Western Exploration Intersects 23.63 g/t Au and 54.56 metres
of 2.08 g/t Au from the Doby George Deposit at the Aura Project (Elko County, NV)" .
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(3) DGC791 AuCN/AuFA ratios ranged from 33 to 133%, based on 57 samples, with only 5 samples below 80%; DGC792 AuCN/AuFA ratios ranged
from 21 to 98%, based on 26 samp les, with 12 samples below 80%; DGC793 AuCN/AuFA ratios ranged from 15 to 98%, based on 27 samples,
with 12 samples below 80%; all AuCN values were capped at 100% of the AuFA assays.
All sample intervals were assayed by both fire a ssay (AuFA) and cyanide soluble shake tests (AuCN)
followed up by atomic absorption finish. The AuCN result s are a measure of the solubility of Au in dilute
CN solutions and the state of oxidation of the samples. An AuCN/AuFA ratio of greater than 80% generally
indicates strong oxidation and good cyanide extraction potential.
DRILL PROGRAM DETAILS
The Phase 1 drill program was comprised of nine larg e 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 (see Figure 1 and Table 2 below).
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.
Table 2. Doby George 2022 Drill Hole Coordinates
Drill Hole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth (m)
DGC789 577,267 4,612,525 2,093 45 53 167.64
DGC790 577,626 4,612,300 2,055 140 55 104.24
DGC791 577,622 4,612,374 2,058 148 45 109.27
DGC792 578,370 4,612,480 2,027 0 55 82.9
DGC793 578,379 4,612,423 2,023 0 55 82.29
DGC794 578,222 4,612,097 1,966 285 54 118.87
DGC795 578,221 4,612,098 1,966 285 82 88.39
DGC796 577,404 4,612,379 2,103 55 69 283.47
DGC797 577,672 4,612,716 2,039 47 53 100.6
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Figure 1. Location of 2022 PQ Metallurgical test holes and resource zones in the Doby George deposit, with
key assay intervals received YTD.
Hole DGC791 was completed in th e 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 and contained in the technical report titled "2021 Updated Resource Estimates
and Technical Report For the Aura Gold-Silver Project, Elko County, Nevada" dated October 20, 2021 (with
an effective date of October 14, 2021) (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 below) (the "Technical Report"). A copy
of the Technical Report is available on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com) under Western Exploration's issuer
profile. 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 le ach 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.
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Figure 2. Positive comparison of fire assay gold values in West Ridge hole DGC791, relative to block model
grades contained in the 2021 Technical Report.
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Figure 3. Positive comparison of fire assay gold values in Daylight area holes DGC792 and DG793, relative
to the block model grades contained in the 2021 Technical Report.
About Doby George
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 100% owned Aura Project. The Aura Project is located
32 kilometers north of the Jerri tt Canyon mine, which has been in continual operation since 1981. The
deposit is an outcropping, high-grade sediment-hos ted mineral deposit, with multiple zones of
mineralization identified by drilling in a 1.7 x 0.8 km area (see Figure 4 below). The zone of oxidation
extends 150 to 200 meters below surface, while limited deep drilling has encountered unoxidized gold
mineralization at depths of over 600 meters below surface.
Homestake Mining Company initially discovered the deposit in the mi d-1980s. Since that time, 827 drill
holes have been completed, totaling 115,197 meters of drilling. This includes 74 drill holes, totaling 22,622
meters that were drilled by Western Exploration LLC between 1998 and 2017. Metallurgical test work
completed on oxidized material by Homestake Mining Company, Independence Mining Company, and
Atlas Precious Metals Inc., has indicated favorable metallurgy for standard cyanide heap leach processing.
Results from the previous metallurgical testing completed on 52 bottle rolls and 23 column leach samples
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indicate that heap leach gold recoveries approaching seventy percent can be expected via a crush of 1 to
1.5 inches.
Figure 4. Doby George deposit with +1.0 g/t Au resource blocks and US$1,800 Au pits.
In addition to an established mineral resource esti mate (as determined in accordance with National
Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101")), the Aura Project has well
established infrastructure including year-round accessibility by highway and county-maintained road and
nearby access to water and electricity (see Figure 5 below). 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.
Figure 5. Aura Project – Land holdings and Infrastructure.
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The 6,000-hectare Aura Project is unique in the junior mining space, as resources have been identified in
three different deposits (Doby George, Gravel Creek and Wood Gulch), as supported by the Technical
Report (see Table 3 below).
Table 3. Updated resource estimates for the Aura Project as contained in the Technical Report
MINERAL RESOURCE(1)
Indicated Inferred
Tonnes
Au
(g/t)
Au
(ozs)
Ag
(g/t)
Ag
(ozs)
AuEq
(g/t)
AuEq
(oz.) Tonnes
Au
(g/t)
Au
(ozs)
Ag
(g/t)
Ag
(ozs)
AuEq
(g/t)
AuEq
(oz.)
Doby
George(2) 12,922,000 0.98 407,000 - - 0.98 407,000 4,999,000 0.73 118,000 - - 0.73 118,000
Wood
Gulch(3) - - - - - - - 4,359,000 0.66 93,000 5.80 808,000 0.74 104,543
Gravel
Creek(4) 1,315,000 4.73 200,000 75.0 3,169,000 5.81 245,271 2,744,000 4.16 367,000 60.20 5,307,000 5.02 442,814
TOTAL 14,237,000 1.33 607,000 75.0 3,169,000 1.43 652,271 12,102,000 1.48 578,000 15.74 6,115,000 1.71 665,357
Notes:
(1) Au equivalent oz assumes US$1,800 per oz Au and 70:1 ratio of Ag:Au.
(2) Pit constrained 0.2 g/t AuEq cutoff for oxide, 0.4 g/t Au cutoff for mixed and 1.4 g/t Au cutoff for unoxidized.
(3) Pit constrained 0.2 g/t AuEq cutoff.
(4) 3.0 g/t Au cutoff.
About Western Exploration
Born from a 25-year history of advancing exploratio n projects in Nevada as a private company, today
Western Exploration is composed of an experienced team of precious metals experts that aims to lead
Western Exploration to becoming a premiere gold and silver development company in North America.
The Company's principal asset is the 100% owned Au ra gold-silver project, located approximately 120
kilometers/75 miles north of the city of Elko, Nevada, and includes three unique gold and silver deposits:
Doby George, Gravel Creek, and Wood Gulch. Additional information regarding Western Exploration and
the Aura Project can be found on the Company's website and on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com) under the
Company's issuer profile.
For more information please contact:
Nichole Cowles
Investor Relations
Phone: 775-240-4172
Email: [email protected]
Qualified Person Approval
The scientific and technical content in this news release has been reviewed, prepared and approved by
Mark Hawksworth, General Manager of the Western Exploration's Aura Project, who is a "qualified
person" within the meaning of NI 43-101.
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Quality Assurance – Quality Control
Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control (" QA/QC") and the interpretation of results is
performed by qualified persons employing a QA/QC program consistent with NI 43-101 and industry best
practices.
Drill core samples were delivered by Major Drilling to Western Exploration's secure warehouse/logging
facility in Mountain City and washed, photographed and logged by company geologists. Quality control
(QC) samples are inserted at regular intervals in the sample stream, including blanks, core duplicates and
reference materials with all sample shipments to monitor laboratory performance.
Drill core samples are transported by Neilsen Exploration to McClelland Laboratory Inc. located in Sparks,
Nevada, for sample preparation and an alysis. Each interval is removed from the core box, weighed and
crushed using a jaw-crusher to an approximately 2" top size. The crushed interval is blended by repeated
coning and is quartered to obtain a one-quarter split for finer crush. Each one-quarter split is crushed to
10 mesh (2 mm) and split to obtain 0.25 – 0.50 kg for pulverization. For fire assays, the 0.25 kg split is
pulverized to >95%-150 mesh (106µm). Analysis for gold and silver is completed using a 30-gram fire assay
with AA finish. For the CN soluble tests, A 10-gram aliquot of sample (>95%-106 µm) is leached by shaking
in a 50 mL test tube for 1 hour, at ambient temperat ure and 33.3% solids, using a solution of NaCN (5.0
gpL) and pH > 11.0 using NaOH. The solution is separated by centrifuging. Clear solution is analyzed by
AA for gold.
Please see below under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information" for
further details regarding risks facing Western Exploration.
For additional information on the Aura Project, please see the Technical Report, which has been prepared
in accordance with NI 43-101, a copy of which is available on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com) under Western
Exploration's issuer profile and on Western Exploration's corporate website
(www.westernexploration.com).
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release may contain "forward-looking info rmation" and "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the applicable Canadian and United St ates securities legislation (collectively, "forward-
looking statements"). These forward-looking statemen ts, 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. Any
statement that involves predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives,
assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always, using phrases such as "expects", or
"does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", "management's view", "anticipates" or "does not
anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "potential", "feasibility", "believes"
or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may"
or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical
fact and may be forward-looking in formation and are intended to identify forward-looking information.
This news release contains the forward-looking info rmation pertaining to, among other things: the focus
and results of the Phase 1 drill program; the Doby George deposit being located in one of the most
favourable mining jurisdictions in the world; Doby George being one of the highest grade, underdeveloped
open pit heap leach resource in northeast Nevada; the accuracy of results from prior exploration activities