Western Exploration Inc. announced the results of 2023 metallurgical testing. Column test work conducted by McClelland Laboratories Inc. of Reno, Nevada on PQ core from 2022 drilling returned (i) average leach recoveries of 65% (range 56.1% to 77.8%) for -50 mm (2 inch) feed size, and (ii) average recoveries of 72% (range 64% to 81.8%) for 80%-12.7 mm (1/2 inch) feed size. Cyanide consumption was low and expected to be below 0.4 kilogram NaCN/metric ton of ore for 12.7 mm crush size and hydrated lime consumption of between 0.7 to 2.0 kilogram/metric ton of ore during commercial leaching.

"Load permeability" tests on residual leached 12.7 mm material indicated adequate permeability for commercial heap leach stack heights of up to 91 meters (300 feet) without any pretreatment agglomeration. A detailed heap leach testing program was conducted on drill composites representing gold bearing oxide and mixed materials collected from the Doby George deposit with PQ drilling in 2022. Agitated cyanidation bottle roll tests were conducted on a total of 46 drill core composites to obtain preliminary information regarding heap leach amenability and ore variability.

The results of the bottle roll tests were reported in the Company's news release dated July 10, 2023 and entitled "Western Exploration Reports Average of 69.3% Gold Extraction from First Round of Metallurgical Test Work at Doby George, Aura Project, NV". Based on the results of the bottle roll testing, a total of seven master composites were prepared for column leach testing. Five oxide and one blended oxide/mixed column leach tests were conducted at -50 mm (2 inch) and 80%-12.7 mm (1/2inch) feed sizes.

A seventh composite, representing mixed material from deep within the West Ridge area, was tested at an 80%-12.7 mm feed size. The column tests were conducted to determine gold recovery, recovery rate, reagent consumptions and feed size sensitivity under simulated heap leaching conditions. All five oxide composites were amenable to simulated heap leach cyanidation treatment at both feed sizes evaluated.

This includes composites from the West Ridge and Daylight areas. Gold recoveries obtained at the -50 mm feed size ranged from 56.1% to 77.8% and averaged 64.3% in 113 to 133 days of leaching. Crushing the composites to 80%-12.7 mm in size was effective in increasing gold recoveries.

Gold recoveries obtained from the oxide composites at the -12.7 mm feed size ranged from 64.0% to 81.8% and averaged 71.6% in 114 to 134 days. A single composite of material from the Twilight area was tested. That composite included a blend of oxide and mixed material.

Gold recoveries obtained from the composite at the -50 mm and -12.7 mm feed sizes were 67.9% in 113 days and 72.9% in 120 days. A single composite of deep mixed material from the West Ridge area was column tested at the -12.7 mm size. That material was not amenable to heap leaching at that feed size.

The column test gold recovery was only 6.1% and leaching was complete in less than 30 days. This composite had an elevated sulfide sulfur content (0.47%) and relatively low CN/FA ratio (7.7% Au). Locking of gold in sulfide minerals may be the cause for the refractory nature of the material.

Gold recovery rates were moderate, and with the exception of composite 4838-047, were not particularly sensitive to feed size (Figure 2-Figure 4). In the case of composite 4838-047, crushing from -50 mm to -12.7 mm in size significantly increased the gold recovery rate. In all cases gold extraction was progressing at a slow rate.

On average after 60 days of leaching, approximately 95% of the final gold recovery was completed for the 80%-12.7 mm feed size and 92% of the final gold recovery for the -50 mm feed size. Oxide and oxide/mixed column test cyanide consumptions were moderate and ranged from 0.41 to 1.11 kgNaCN/mt of ore. Commercial consumptions should be significantly lower and would probably not exceed 0.4 kgNaCN/mt ore for heap leaching of the oxide material at an 80% -12.7 mm feed size.

The 0.7 to 2.0 kg/mt hydrated lime added before leaching was sufficient for maintaining protective alkalinity during leaching. Fixed wall hydraulic conductivity tests conducted on the -12.7 mm feed size column leached residues showed that the material types tested are expected to be adequately permeable for commercial heap stack heights to up to 91 meters (330 feet) without the need for agglomeration. MLI recommends additional column leach test work on low grade drill composites to further study the relationship of grade and recovery, the evaluation of high-pressure grinding roll crushing on higher grade material and additional ore variability bottle roll test work for geometalurigical modeling of the deposit.

Doby George is one of the highest-grade, undeveloped open pit heap leach resources in Nevada and one of three mineral deposits on Western Exploration's 100% owned Aura gold-silver project located in Nevada. The Aura Project is located 32 kilometers north of the Jerritt Canyon mine, which has been in continual operation since 1981. The deposit is an outcropping, high-grade sediment-hosted mineral deposit, with multiple zones of mineralization identified by drilling in a 1.7 x 0.8 kilometer area.

The zone of oxidation extends 150 to 200 meters below surface, while limited deep drilling has encountered unoxidized gold mineralization at depths of over 600 meters below surface. Homestake Mining Company initially discovered the deposit in the mid-1980s. Since that time, 836 drill holes have been completed, totaling 116,355 meters of drilling.

This includes 83 drill holes totaling 23,760 meters that were drilled by Western Exploration LLC between 1998 and 2022. Metallurgical test work completed on oxidized material by Homestake Mining Company, Independence Mining Company, and Atlas Precious Metals Inc., has indicated favorable metallurgy for standard cyanide heap leach processing. Results from the previous metallurgical testing completed on 52 bottle rolls and 23 column leach samples indicate that heap leach gold recoveries approaching 70% can be expected via a crush of 1 to 1.5 inches.

In addition to an established mineral resource estimate (as determined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ? Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects as outlined in the NI 43-101 technical report entitled "2021 Updated Resource Estimates and Technical Report for the Aura Gold-Silver Project, Elko County, Nevada" dated October 20, 2021, the Aura Project has well established infrastructure including year-round accessibility by highway and county-maintained road and nearby access to water and electricity. Western Exploration has exploration, development, and mining rights on 930 hectares of privately owned land through a mineral lease agreement with a local landowner and may purchase those fee lands at any time for the development of Doby George.