Western Exploration Submits Mine Plan of Operations for the Doby George Project
Western advances its Doby George project in Nevada by filing a mining plan of operations to move the permitting process forward.
Western Exploration Inc. has formally submitted its Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for the 100%-owned Doby George gold project in Nevada. The MPO outlines a 7,500 tonne/day open-pit, heap-leach operation with a total disturbance of 697 acres, aligning with the October 2025 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).
The submission incorporates feedback from a multi-agency site visit held in July 2026 and is backed by extensive baseline environmental studies covering biological, cultural, hydrogeological, and geochemical disciplines. Parallel workstreams include a 3,000-metre drill program targeting resource conversion and hydrogeological test work, plus a grid power feasibility study with Raft River Rural Electric Cooperative expected in Q4 2026.
Management views the MPO filing as a definitive transition from economic study to a permitted, buildable mine, with full NEPA environmental reports targeted for Q2 2027.
Western Exploration Inc. (WEX) filed its Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) with the US Forest Service in early August 2026, marking a slight delay from the previously targeted Q2 2026 submission date. The filing remains well within the company's stated development timeline and serves as a standard regulatory milestone that confirms execution discipline and validates the company's permitting strategy.
Financially, the project remains fully funded for 2026-2027 activities per the February 2026 financing. No new capital raise or dilutive events are triggered by this filing. The news is incremental and routine, not altering the economic profile, changing the project's risk/reward matrix, or introducing new strategic partnerships. Market reaction is likely to be muted as the permitting process in Nevada typically takes 12-18 months post-MPO.
Western Exploration Inc. is a Nevada-focused precious metals developer advancing the Aura Project, which comprises three deposits: Doby George, Gravel Creek, and Wood Gulch. The company is led by experienced management with backgrounds in major North American gold operations, focusing on grassroots discovery and permitting advancement.
The flagship Doby George deposit is a near-surface oxide gold deposit amenable to heap leaching. The 2025 PEA outlines a 5-year mine life producing approximately 58,000 oz Au annually at an AISC of $1,152-$1,197/oz. The base case NPV(5%) is $70.7M at $2,150/oz Au, with an IRR of 25.4%. An upside case at $3,000/oz Au yields a $211.2M NPV and 62.2% IRR.
The Aura district hosts approximately 10.27 moz AuEq in indicated and inferred resources, with Gravel Creek and Wood Gulch offering high-grade epithermal gold-silver potential.