Western Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: WEX) (OTCQX: WEXPF) is pleased to announce results of the first five reverse circulation holes testing part of the Tomasina target, approximately one kilometer west of the Gravel Creek at the Company’s wholly owned Aura gold-silver project.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Hole WG467, drilled northwest of Wood Gulch on section T4760N, intersected 3.0 meters @ 7.1 g/t Au and 4.8 g/t Ag (Table 2 and Figure 2) down hole of a broader interval of 44.20 meters 0.38 g/t Au and 1.71 g/t Ag.
  • The zone remains open for more than one kilometer of strike length to the northwest and southeast.

• Hole WG463 intersected an extensive oxidation and clay silicification alteration typical of high-level epithermal systems similar to what is above the Gravel Creek deposit. (Figure 1 and Table 3).
  • The altered zone in WG463 included an interval of 15.24 meters @ 0.13 g/t Au and 10.0 g/t Ag – a strong indicator of proximity to a potentially mineralized system at depth.

Western Exploration CEO, Darcy Marud, commented: “We are very encouraged that the current drill program has confirmed the resource growth potential at the Tomasina fault area. Initial drill results from WG466 and WG467 northeast of Wood Gulch show similar geology, alteration and mineralization to Gravel Creek, located just one kilometer to the east. Importantly, the target remains open for one kilometer of strike length.

Drilling to the southeast of the Wood Gulch open pit has identified high level epithermal alteration and mineralization that is similar to that discovered above the Gravel Creek resource. Legacy hole WG355 that was completed down dip and to the east of this area returned 13.17 meters of 1.67 g/t Au and 28.5 g/t Ag including 1.52 meters of 10.9 g/t Au and 101 g/t Ag demonstrating the prospectivity of this area.

To have this degree of success in an initial drill program is truly exciting! Considering that Western Exploration has drill tested less than 20% of the Tomasina Fault trend strike length, we are very encouraged about the future resource growth potential of this area. The strength and continuity of alteration, together with the consistent mineralized intercepts, provide a clear case for continued step-out and follow-up core drilling.”

SIGNIFICANCE OF TOMASINA DRILL RESULTS

The Tomasina target is a 2.5-kilometer-long structural zone down dip of the Saddle and Wood Gulch NI 43-101 resources and the Hammer Head mineralization. The objective has been to evaluate for mineralization in the highly favorable Frost Creek tuff (main host rock at Gravel Creek) at the faulted unconformity with the basement Schoonover Formation.

The five RC drill holes, WG463-WG467, reported in this release, tested targets along approximately one kilometer of strike length of the Tomasina structural zone, located to the northwest and southeast of the down dip projection of Wood Gulch mineralization.

Table 1. Drill Hole Coordinates and Orientations

Figure 1. 2025 Reverse Circulation holes and key target areas in relation to the 2.5-kilometer-long Tomasina Structural Trend

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Wood Gulch Area

Holes WG466-WG467 were drilled northeast of Wood Gulch on section T4760N (Figure 2). Both holes intersected broad zones of clay alteration with local silicification and quartz-pyrite-marcasite veining within the Frost Creek tuff. Mineralization improves in continuity and tenor towards the Tomasina Fault.

Table 2. Summary of +0.4 g/t Au drill results in holes WG466 and WG467 evaluating the Tomasina Target

 * True width is estimated to be between 80 and 100% of interval width

Hole WG467was highlighted by an interval of 3.0 meters @ 7.1 g/t Au and 4.8 g/t Ag. The hole was lost in a vein/fault zone near the contact with the Schoonover Formation argillite.

• The alteration and Au-Ag mineralization give support to the exploration concept of mineralization in the Frost Creek tuff along the Tomasina Fault.
• The zone is open for at least one kilometer of strike length to the northwest and southeast of hole WG467 (Figure 1), bracketed by legacy drill holes WG360 and WG421 which intersected strong alteration in the Frost Creek tuff. WG421, located 300 meters to the northwest, intersected 9.14 meters of 1.13 g/t Au and 2.8 g/t Ag. WG360, located approximately 600 meters to the southeast, intersected 1.52 meters of 7.28 g/t Au and 15.4 g/t Ag within a broader zone of 25.9 meters of 0.91 g/t Au and 11.1 g/t Ag.

Figure 2. Cross section T4760N, and holes WG466-WG477 showing mineralization in the Eocene Frost Creek Tuff near the Tomasina Fault.

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Hammer Head Area

Holes WG463-WG465 focused on a 225 meter segment of the target zone southeast of the Wood Gulch area on sections T3675N to T3900N.

Table 3. Summary of +0.2 g/t Au drill results in holes WG463 to WG465 evaluating the Tomasina Target

* True Width is unknown at this time due to limited drill density

All three holes intersected the projected Tomasina Fault above the main part of the favourable Frost Creek tuff and did not hit the proposed target.

• Of particular significance, southernmost hole WG463 intersected a zone of oxidation with strong clay +/- silicification from 45-215 meters down hole in the Jarbidge rhyolite. The zone displayed anomalous Au-Ag values up to 15.24 meters of 0.13 g/t Au and 10.0 g/t Ag. The alteration is very similar to alteration seen on Discovery Hill above the Gravel Creek deposit and is less than 200 meters northwest of an induced polarization line run in 2023 (the “2023 IP Line 5”), which identified a very significant chargeability anomaly with the same order of magnitude as that over Gravel Creek (Figure 3). These two factors indicate that additional drilling is warranted on a second one kilometer long trend to the SE of WG463, along the Tomasina structural zone down dip of Hammer Head mineralization (Figure 1).

• Legacy drill hole WG355, located approximately 100 meters east of WG464, intersected 1.52 meters of 10.9 g/t Au and 101.0 g/t Ag within a broader zone of 13.71 meters of 1.67 g/t Au and 28.5 g/t Ag further supporting the need for additional follow up drilling in this area.

Figure 3. Location of 2023 IP Line 5, highlighting a significant chargeability anomaly (with the same magnitude as over Gravel Creek) that lies in the hanging wall of the Tomasina Fault. The 2023 IP Line 5 is located less than 200 meters southeast of hole WG463 and 500 meters northwest of the Hammer Head Zone. 

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ABOUT WESTERN EXPLORATION

Western Exploration is advancing the 100% owned Aura Project, located approximately 120 kilometers/75 miles north of the city of Elko, Nevada. The Aura Project includes three unique gold and silver deposits: Doby George, Gravel Creek, and Wood Gulch. Western Exploration is comprised of an experienced team of precious metals experts that aim to lead the Company to becoming North America’s premiere gold and silver development company.

Additional information regarding Western Exploration can be found on Western Exploration’s corporate website (www.westernexploration.com) on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western Exploration’s issuer profile.

For more information please contact:

Darcy Marud
Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: (775) 329-8119
Email: dmarud@westernexploration.com

Nichole Cowles
Investor Relations
Telephone: 775-240-4172
Email:  nicholecowles@westernexploration.com