Western Exploration Inc. received updated metallurgical test work for the Gravel Creek deposit within its 100%-owned Aura project in Elko County, Nevada, demonstrating that a combined gravity and flotation concentrate can yield initial cyanide leach recoveries of 73.3% for gold and 74.0% for silver.

The test work, conducted by McClelland Laboratories using 30-kilogram composite sample rejects from diamond drill holes WG458 to WG462, applied an ultra-fine regrind of over 95% passing 10 micrometres followed by a 72-hour cyanide leach. The sample head grades averaged 5.49 grams per tonne gold and 298 grams per tonne silver.

“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.”

— Darcy Marud, CEO of Western

The Aura project hosts both the high-grade Gravel Creek-Wood Gulch epithermal system and the Doby George oxide heap-leach deposit. Western previously completed core drilling programs at Gravel Creek in 2023 and 2024 to target high-grade veins in the Jarbidge rhyolite discovery located east of the main resource area.

To support ongoing technical evaluation, Western is conducting additional test work on the cyanide leach tails from the deposit to determine the most profitable recovery scenario and refine overall precious metal recoveries.

Concurrent with the metallurgical results, Western secured a new water lease with Nevada Gold Mines LLC providing access to up to 14 acre-feet of water per year. Combined with United States Forest Service approval, the company is fully permitted and bonded across 46 drill sites and associated access roads to advance its resource expansion program.

“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.”

— Darcy Marud, CEO of Western

Western is actively implementing this drill-ready expansion program across key extensions of the Gravel Creek and Jarbidge deposits.

Read the full announcement: Western Exploration Completes Transformative Cyanide Leach Test Work at Gravel Creek