Gravel Creek Drill Program Intersected Highest Assay Values At Aura Project

VANCOUVER - Western Exploration Inc. reported on assay results and structural interpretation from the 2023 core drilling program in the Jarbidge rhyolite north-east of the Gravel Creek resource area at the Aura gold-silver project.

Two oriented core holes were completed to evaluate resource expansion potential in the mineralized vein/breccia trends north-east of the Gravel Creek resource area. Hole WG457 reported individual assays of up to 257.0 g/t Au and 1655.0 g/t Ag, with key intercepts including: 0.7 meters of 143.56 g/t AuEq (138.82 g/t Au and 403.4 g/t Ag); and 1.0 meters of 67.49 g/t AuEq (52.46 g/t Au and 1278.0 g/t Ag).

Structural interpretation of the 2023 oriented core data and previous surface mapping has confirmed a series of intersecting north-west and north-east trending structures containing local high-grade epithermal Au-Ag mineralization over an area of 550 meters by 350 meters in size immediately adjacent to the area of the current Gravel Creek resource of 245,571 AuEq ounces at 5.81 g/t AuEq in the Indicated category and 442,814 AuEq ounces at 5.02 g/t AuEq in the Inferred category. Intercepts in core holes WG456 and WG457 link high-grade intercepts in adjacent legacy drill holes, defining a north/north-west trending, moderately south-west dipping zone of quartz-pyrite-marcasite bearing vein, stockwork and hydrothermal breccias located 140 meters to 250 meters east/north-east of the Gravel Creek resource area.

Multiple +20.0 g/t AuEq intercepts in two parallel vein zones and associated splay structures have been traced along a dip length of over 200 meters, with drill widths ranging from over 0.5 to 4.6 meters and grades up to 257.0 g/t Au and 2800.0 g/t Ag). The two main veins are defined by the following: Upper Vein (4 intercepts): 2.07 meter drill width at 28.05 g/t AuEq; and Lower Vein (4 intercepts): 3.13 meter drill width at 25.26 g/t AuEq.

CEO, Darcy Marud, said, "Western Exploration is extremely pleased with the 2023 drill program results, which intersected some of the highest assay values ever recorded at Gravel Creek (2800.0 g/t Ag in WG456 and 257.0 g/t Au in WG457). The structural interpretation has provided a breakthrough that identifies significantly expanded resource potential in the Jarbidge rhyolite to the east/north-east of the current Gravel Creek resource area with grades that are significantly higher than the current resource grades. Additional oriented core drilling is justified to extend the north/north-west trending vein zone and to connect the multiple +5.0 g/t Au intercepts identified by wide-spaced legacy holes in area 550 meters by 350 meters in size, with the goal of expanding the Gravel Creek resource base with high-grade Au-Ag vein mineralization.”