Western Exploration Updates 2025 Exploration Program Targeting the Tomasina Fault Zone, as Part of the Aura Project
Nine widely spaced reverse circulation holes along the Tomasina Fault corridor confirm widespread alteration and veining.
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October 30, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Source: Western Exploration Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 30, 2025) - Western Exploration Inc. (TSXV: WEX) (OTCQX: WEXPF) (the "Company" or "Western Exploration") is pleased to update the status of the Phase 1 reverse circulation (RC) drill program on the Tomasina Vein Zone target. The drill area is approximately 1.0 km west of the Gravel Creek resource and down dip from the Saddle and Wood Gulch resource areas, at the Company's wholly owned Aura gold-silver project (the "Aura Project").
The Tomasina target is a 2.5 km long structural zone down dip of the Saddle and Wood Gulch NI 43-101 resources and the Hammer Head mineralization. It is projected to intersect the highly favorable Eocene Frost Creek tuff (main host rock at Gravel Creek) at the faulted unconformity with the basement Permian-Mississippian Schoonover Formation.
Western completed nine RC drill holes totaling 3,239 meters across the corridor, confirming widespread alteration and veining - strong indicators of a robust hydrothermal system. These results highlight resource expansion potential for the Aura Project, particularly down dip and along strike from existing NI 43-101 resources. Assay results are pending.
Program Highlights
- Drilling confirms pervasive clay alteration and local quartz-sulfide veining consistent with mineralized zones elsewhere at Aura.
- Holes in the Saddle area successfully intersected the key Frost Creek tuff, the same host rock as the Gravel Creek deposit with irregular stockwork veining and hydrothermal breccia zones.
- Drilling at the southeast extension confirmed alteration but did not encounter the favorable Frost Creek tuff, though potential to the west and at depth remains a prospective target.
Significance of Tomasina Target Results
Western Exploration CEO, Darcy Marud, commented: "Western Exploration is encouraged by initial visual results of the 2025 RC program, which tested only about 20% of the total strike length of the Tomasina target. Key areas below Saddle, Wood Gulch and Gravel Creek remaining to be drill tested.
"Drilling was paused to allow for assay analysis and to extend permitting to next phase targets in this highly prospective target zone. As the drilling has confirmed the presence of widespread alteration and local quartz and sulphide mineralization, additional drilling will be conducted with core drilling or RC drilling with core tails."
Mr. Marud added, "The 2025 drill results support Western's confidence that the Tomasina target holds resource expansion potential that will complement the growing resource base at Gravel Creek and the Jarbidge discovery 1.0 km to the east."
Figure 1. 2025 Reverse Circulation holes and key target areas in relation to the 2.5km long Tomasina Structural Trend
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Holes WG463-465 focused on a 200m stretch of the target zone southeast of the Wood Gulch area. Although locally strong alteration was observed in the overlying Miocene Jarbidge Rhyolite and basement Schoonover sediments, very little of the Eocene volcanic package was intersected. Additional drilling needs to be located further east to target the Frost Creek Formation at depth.
Holes WG466 to WG471 targeted a 500m strike length of the Tomasina target down dip and southeast of the Saddle Resource Zone. Three of five holes intersected the Frost Creek tuff, with alteration extending into the Schoonover basement rocks in all five holes. The Frost Creek tuff is pervasively clay altered, with variable zones of silicification and disseminated pyrite. The Frost Creek tuff and underlying Schoonover Formation metasediments below the faulted unconformity are locally cut by irregular stockwork veining and hydrothermal breccia zones 1.5 to 10.0 meters in drill width containing quartz +/-pyrite-marcasite.
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
Qualified Person Approval
The scientific and technical content in this news release has been reviewed 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.
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.
Reverse circulation drilling and sampling on 5' (1.52m) intervals was completed by Envirotech Drilling (Winnemucca, Nevada based). Samples were collected by Western Exploration geologists at the drill site and transported Western Exploration's warehouse/logging facility in Mountain City. Chip trays were photographed and logged by company geologists. Sample intervals were recorded. Quality control (QC) samples were inserted at regular intervals in the sample stream with all sample shipments, including blanks, core duplicates and reference materials, to monitor laboratory performance. Samples were kept in the secure Mountain City facility until transported for assay.
Reverse Circulation samples were transported by ALS drivers to the ALS prep facility in Elko, Nevada. Samples are being analyzed for gold using ALS CHEMEX fire assay procedure Au-AA13, with over limits being analyzed by Au_GRA21. Samples are being analyzed for silver and a 40 element suite using ALS Chemex procedure ME-ICP41, , with over limits being analyzed by Ag_GRA21.
Please see below under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information" for further details regarding the risks facing Western Exploration.
For additional information on the Aura Project, please see the Technical Report, which has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101, a copy of which is available on SEDAR+ ( www.sedarplus.ca) under Western Exploration's issuer profile and on Western Exploration's corporate website ( www.westernexploration.com).
Cautionary Statements Regarding Estimates of Mineral Resources
This news release uses the terms measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources as a relative measure of the level of confidence in the resource estimate. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources are not mineral reserves and that the economic viability of resources that are not mineral reserves has not been demonstrated. The mineral resource estimate disclosed in this news release may be materially affected by geology, environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing or other relevant issues. The mineral resource estimate is classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves" (CIM) incorporated by reference into NI 43-101. Under NI 43-101, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies or economic studies except for preliminary economic assessments. Readers are cautioned not to assume that further work on the stated resources will lead to mineral reserves that can be mined economically.
Inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. On October 31, 2018, the SEC adopted new mining disclosure rules ("S-K 1300") that are more closely aligned with current industry and global regulatory practices and standards, including NI 43-101, although there are some differences in the two standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits contain in this release may not be comparable with information made public by U.S. companies that report in accordance with S-K 1300.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements, 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 information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This news release contains the forward-looking information pertaining to, among other things: the significance of the results of the 2023 drill program; the accuracy of results from prior exploration activities conducted at the Aura Project; the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate the mineral resource estimate disclosed in this news release; the prospects, if any, of the Doby George, Wood Gulch and Gravel Creek mineral deposits; the potential to greatly expand resources within the Gravel Creek mineralized system; future drilling at the Aura Project; the significance of historic exploration activities and results; the ability to expand the existing mineral resources at the Aura Project. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the ability of exploration activities (including drill results) to accurately predict mineralization; errors in management's geological modelling; the ability of Western Exploration to complete further exploration activities, including drilling; property and royalty interests in respect of the Aura Project; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; risks relating to mining activities; the global economic climate; metal prices; dilution; environmental risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Western Exploration cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither Western Exploration nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. Western Exploration does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.
For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements and forward-looking information made in this news release concerning Western Exploration, see the management information circular dated November 12, 2021, available electronically under Western Exploration's issuer profile on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com). The forward-looking statements set forth herein concerning Western Exploration reflect management's expectations as at the date of this news release and are subject to change after such date. Western Exploration disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
 SOURCE: Western Exploration Inc. |
