Western Exploration Submits Mine Plan of Operations for the Doby George Project
Reno, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - August 5, 2026) - Western Exploration Inc. (TSXV: WEX) (OTCQX: WEXPF) ("Western" or the "Company") announces that it has submitted its Mine Plan of Operations ("MPO") to the United States Forest Service ("USFS") for its 100%-owned Doby George gold project, located in the Aura district in northeastern Nevada (the "Doby George Project" or the "Project"). The MPO submission is a required step in advancing the Doby George Project through federal permitting, with the USFS serving as lead agency.
The submission follows a multi-agency site visit hosted by Western on July 7, 2026, and led by the USFS, during which USFS representatives reviewed the proposed project layout and discussed the scope of work ahead. Feedback received during that visit was incorporated into the MPO prior to submission.
The MPO outlines the Company's proposed plan for surface use, construction and operation of the Doby George Project on federal and private land and initiates formal USFS review, including the associated environmental review process. The MPO describes a 7,500 tonne/day (approximately 8,300 ton/day) open-pit, heap-leach gold mine consistent with the Company's 2025 Preliminary Economic Assessment (the "PEA"), as more particularly described in the PEA Technical Report (as defined below). The Project contemplates a total disturbance of 697 acres (282 hectares), of which 345 acres (140 hectares) are on private land available for development under a mineral lease agreement.
The MPO is supported by baseline environmental studies that began in February 2026, spanning biological, cultural, paleontological, air quality, hydrogeology, geochemistry, noise and aquatic resources, establishing existing conditions within the Project area as required under the National Environmental Policy Act. A summary of completed and ongoing baseline studies, as set out in the MPO, is provided below.
| Resource Area | Completed | Ongoing |
| Biological Resources | Raptor Surveys (aerial and ground based) Special Status Plants and Noxious Weed Surveys Soil and Ecological Site Description Surveys Flammulated Owl Surveys Burrowing Owl Surveys Greater Sage-Grouse Lek surveys Migratory Bird Surveys Amphibian and Springsnail Surveys Three-toed Woodpecker Surveys | American Goshawk Surveys Small Mammal Surveys Acoustic Bat Surveys Pygmy Rabbit Surveys Biological Baseline Surveys Results Report |
| Cultural Resources | Class 1 Desktop Cultural Resources Review ARPA Permit Submittal Tribal Notification Letters Submitted | Class 3 Cultural Resources Survey Class 3 Cultural Resources Report |
| Paleontological Resources | Desktop Review and Historical Records Search Desktop Review Results Report Submitted to USFS | Paleontological Surveys Paleontological Surveys Results Report |
| Air Quality Resources | Initial Review of Project and Operations Data | Development of Air Quality Baseline Report Emissions Inventory Development Dispersion Monitoring |
| Hydrogeology Resources | Hydrogeology Data Review and Gap Analysis Hydrogeology Resources Investigation and Baseline Monitoring Work Plan Surface and Groundwater Data Review and Gap Analysis Q2 Spring & Stream Monitoring and Sampling | Phase I Hydrogeologic Investigation (summer 2026) Phase I Baseline Hydrogeologic Report Q3 and Q4 spring and stream monitoring and sampling Phase II Hydrogeologic Investigation (2027) Phase II Baseline Hydrogeologic Report |
| Geochemistry Resources | Geochemistry Data Review and Gap Analysis Geochemical Characterization Work Plan | Finalize Collection and Submission of Samples to Lab for Static and Kinetic Characterization Geochemical Characterization Summary Report |
| Noise Resources | Baseline Noise Monitoring | Noise Modeling Predictions Technical Noise Report |
| Aquatic Resources | Desktop Aquatic Resources Inventory | Aquatic Resource Surveys Aquatic Resources Delineation Report United States Army Corps of Engineers Permitting Coordination |
Western is continuing to advance this baseline work alongside the hydrogeological test work and drill program announced on July 28, 2026, which are designed to support a planned pre-feasibility study ("PFS") for the Doby George Project in parallel with permitting.
The grid power feasibility study being completed by Raft River Rural Electric Cooperative Inc., announced in June 2026, remains in progress. Results are expected in the fourth quarter of 2026 and will form part of the PFS.
Darcy Marud, President & CEO of Western Exploration, commented: "Submitting the MPO is the milestone this team has been building toward all year. It reflects the direct input of the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies from our July site visit and puts the Doby George Project formally into the federal review process. Permitting takes discipline and patience, and our consultants at Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Kappes Cassiday & Associates and Raft River Rural Electric Cooperative Inc. have positioned us well for the work ahead. We view this as the clearest signal yet that Doby George is moving from a strong economic study toward a permitted, buildable mine."
Scientific and Technical Information