Western Exploration Initiates Drill Program at Doby George
Western advances Doby George drilling as the MPO submission nears and a power study remains on track for the fourth quarter.
Western Exploration Inc. has begun site preparation for a new drill program at its 100%-owned Doby George gold project in Nevada. The drill rig is scheduled to arrive the week of July 27, 2026, for a planned program of up to 3,000 metres across 15 holes. The primary objectives include infill drilling to convert inferred mineral resources to indicated categories, as well as conducting hydrogeological, geochemical, and metallurgical test work to support the upcoming Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS).
The company expects to submit its Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) by early August 2026, incorporating feedback from a multi-agency site visit held on July 7, 2026. A feasibility study regarding grid power with Raft River Rural Electric Co-operative is progressing as anticipated, with results expected in Q4 2026. Consultants Stantec Consulting, Kappes Cassiday & Associates, and Raft River Electric are advancing their respective scopes of work.
Western Exploration Inc. (WEX) has initiated the Doby George drill program, an expected incremental step that aligns directly with the fully-funded 2026 work program outlined in March 2026. The news confirms the execution of previously announced plans rather than introducing new surprises or material changes to the project's economics or timeline.
Progress on the MPO submission and power study is positive for de-risking the permitting pathway, though the update represents routine operational execution. No material impact on near-term valuation is anticipated, as the market likely priced in this drilling commencement following the March program outline and May contract announcements.
Western Exploration Inc. is a Nevada-focused precious metals explorer advancing the Aura Project, which comprises three deposits: Doby George, Gravel Creek, and Wood Gulch. Doby George is a near-surface oxide deposit targeted for a 7,500-tonne-per-day open-pit heap-leach operation. The 2025 PEA outlines a base-case after-tax NPV of $70.7M (5% discount) and an IRR of 25.4% at $2,150/oz Au, with an upside case NPV of $211.2M and IRR of 62.2% at $3,000/oz Au.
Gravel Creek and Wood Gulch represent high-grade Miocene epithermal gold-silver systems. The combined indicated and inferred resource stands at ~10.27 moz AuEq. The company targets expanding the global Wood Gulch-Gravel Creek resource to 1.5 moz Au and 30 moz Ag by Q4 2027.
Management is led by CEO Darcy Marud, with a team boasting significant grassroots discovery and senior mining experience from Yamana Gold and Meridian Gold.