Western Exploration Sees Promising Cyanide Leach Recoveries at Gravel Creek

Western Exploration Inc has announced significant progress at its Gravel Creek deposit, a high-grade gold-silver epithermal system located in Nevada. The company has completed cyanide leach metallurgical test work, demonstrating that the majority of gold and silver in gravity and flotation concentrates can be recovered through this process. The test work, conducted by McClelland Laboratories, showed gold recoveries of 73.3% and silver recoveries of 74.0% from the combined concentrate after ultra-fine grinding.

Darcy Marud, CEO of Western Exploration, commented, "This is a major breakthrough for Gravel Creek as it indicates that the deposit is not entirely refractory and that the majority of the gold and silver in the 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."

The company has also completed 3D modeling and geophysical interpretations, which suggest the potential for doubling the current resource through a focused diamond drill program. Western 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.

In June 2026, Western contracted McClelland Laboratories to complete the cyanide leach metallurgical work on sample rejects from the 2024 Gravel Creek diamond drill program. The test work involved 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 combined gravity and flotation concentrate was reground to >95%-10µm (ultra-fine regrind) and subjected to a 72-hour cyanide leach. The whole ore gold and silver recoveries were 73.3% for gold and 74.0% for silver.

The company has also signed a new water lease with Nevada Gold Mines LLC, providing access to up to 14 acre-feet of water per year. This, combined with USFS approval for drilling on up to 46 drill platforms, means the resource expansion program is ready to implement.

Western Exploration remains focused on the resource growth at Gravel Creek while also moving the Doby George project into permitting and development. The company's ongoing efforts are aimed at enhancing the profitability and sustainability of the Gravel Creek deposit through innovative processing techniques and resource expansion.

The preliminary economic assessment (PEA) described in the PEA Technical Report, dated October 1, 2025, 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. The PEA Technical Report, prepared by independent representatives of Kappes, Cassiday & Associates and RESPEC Company LLC, is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western's issuer profile.