Exploration Results
2024 exploration field work results from Nevada claims show continued anomalies across multiple prospects including record silver at M2.
- M2 grab sample silver 1,470 g/t Ag
- West Huntoon gold grab sample 2.01 g/t Au
- West Huntoon historic high-grade gold vein grab 16.17 g/t Au, 207 g/t Ag
- Smith Mine copper peak 341 ppm Cu
- Tun Group quartz vein grab 1.17 g/t Au
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Great Western Mining Corporation PLC (AIM - GWMO, Euronext Growth - 8GW), which is exploring and developing gold, silver and copper targets in the Walker Lane belt of Nevada, USA, is pleased to announce further results from its 2024 geological field work with positive developments at several prospects.
HIGHLIGHTS
- M2 Resource: Analysed soil samples reveal a surface anomaly continuing 500 m to northeast of the Company's existing inferred copper resource. One grab sample from this area recorded 1,470 g/t Ag, a new peak for M2.
- West Huntoon Porphyry Prospect: Further infill soil sampling has better defined strong copper and gold targets at the heart of the anomaly, following the recently reported expansion of the area of interest from 2 km² to approximately 3 km².
- West Huntoon Gold Prospect: A new grab sample confirms elevated gold values (2.01 g/t Au) 65 m along strike from high-grade samples reported in late 2024 (16.17 g/t Au, 207 g/t Ag)
- Smith Mine: reconnaissance soil samples have confirmed an area in the south of the grid as anomalous for copper, with peak value of 341 ppm Cu, and an isolated sample returning a gold value of 29 ppb Au.
- Tun Group Prospect: Soil and grab samples show anomalies surrounding old mine workings and along two parallel trends running up to 1 km to the west. A new grab sample from a quartz vein approximately 900 m from the old workings returned 1.17 g/t Au.
Great Western Chairman Brian Hall commented: "During the 2024 field season, our exploration team worked continuously on enhancing our knowledge of our large area of claims in the Nevada Walker Lane belt, through a combination of geophysical surveys, grab sampling, soil sampling and field mapping. We reported lab results several times during 2024, and this release covers lab results recently received and not previously reported. Some 2024 results remain pending and will be announced when available. The precise locations of the samples taken are set out in map form at the end of this release.
"The high rate of success achieved through this field work clearly underlines the prospectivity of our extensive claims, both for copper and precious metals. In 2025 we will also begin work on the tungsten prospects identified at the former Defender and Pine Crow mines where we have recently staked new claims to protect our interests."
M2 Resource
New soil samples taken northeast of M2 indicate the continuity of the M2 trend in this direction (Figure 2). 124 samples were collected in a 50 x 50 m grid, of which 27 were anomalous (>75 ppm Cu) for copper (peak 969 ppm Cu, median 117 ppm Cu). Notably, one portion of the anomaly is above a granite body - the Fletcher's Camp Granite. Surface showings of copper have been found relating to late-stage intrusions above the granite contact. Grabs from this area have returned positive grades for copper one returning a grade of 1,470 g/t Ag. This is the highest silver value recorded at M2. Further work will be undertaken for a better understanding of the silver enrichment in this area.
West Huntoon Porphyry Prospect
A further 56 infill soil samples have been taken at West Huntoon, 33 of which are anomalous for copper (peak 625 ppm Cu, median 220 ppm Cu; Figure 3a). These samples have better defined the main daylighting portion of the copper anomaly in the core zone at the prospect. Crucially, this is an area where Great Western has open drill permission under an ongoing agreement with a private landowner.
While recent focus has been on the copper prospectivity at West Huntoon, these results again highlight the widespread gold prospectivity. Of the 56 new samples, 23 have gold grades >5 ppb, with median value of 10 ppb, and outliers at 231 and 100 ppb Au. Reviewing a wider group of 333 samples taken to date over the core areas of West Huntoon (including both new and previously released samples, with those collected cover sequences excluded), 271 are >= 5 ppb Au, 26 are >=50 ppb Au and 13 are >= 100 ppb Au with outliers at 1,940 and 320 ppb Au.
In 2024 GWM announced a high-grade vein grab of 16.17 g/t Au, 207 g/t Ag and 2.37% Cu. A follow-up sample has since been taken 65 m to the southeast on another outcrop of the same structure which returned 2.04 g/t Au and 0.1% Cu, indicating that this mineralised vein may have lateral continuity (Figure 3b). Further detailed mapping of the area in search for more outcrops of this structure is planned.
Smith Mine
Reconnaissance soil samples taken at the Smith Mine claims covered 3 km2 (Figure 4), being the Company's first systematic sampling undertaken at this prospect. Eleven lines were sampled with line spacing of 250 m and sample spacing of 100 m. 84 samples taken show mild copper anomalism (>50 ppm Cu) proximal to the Smith Mine workings and several samples in the south of the grid returned anomalous copper grades, including a maximum outlier of 341 ppm Cu. These samples were taken proximal to surface showings and, along with new and previously reported grabs, help define a 400 m trend of copper anomalism. Separately, one sample high on the flank of the hills to the southwest returned a markedly anomalous 29 ppb Au. Closer-spaced follow-up samples will be collected in both of these areas.
A float sample of quartz vein containing pyrite, taken at the Neo workings returned 6.51 g/t Au and 41.9 g/t Ag. It is likely that this vein was the focus of the mine's original workings, as similar material is present in outcrop in the walls of short open adits. The vein is narrow (<20 cm) at outcrop, but with further work may become a drill target.
Tun Group Prospect
Reconnaissance soils were conducted at the Tun claims and show copper and gold anomalism, mainly in the area near surface workings around the range-front boundary with the Huntoon Valley (Figure 5). Mild gold anomalism continues in two corridors to the west and follow-up infill sampling is planned in these areas. In one of the zones, situated 900 m to the west of the Tun workings, a grab sample from an outcropping quartz vein returned 1.17 g/t Au, indicating potential for continuity of the epithermal style veins in this area.
Figure 1. Summary map showing location of Great Western claim groups around the Huntoon Valley, and areal extent of figures from this report.
Figure 2. Map of new soil results from M2 northeast. Inset map shows location of four new grab samples.
Figure 3a. Map of new soil results from West Huntoon.
Figure 3b. Map of new grab results from West Huntoon.
Figure 4. Map of new soil and grab results from Smith Mine area.
Figure 5. Map of new soil and grab results from the Tun claims.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
All soil and grab samples have been submitted to Paragon Geochemical Laboratories, Reno, Nevada. Soil samples were screened to -80 mesh and analysed by method FSAU-25, aqua regia digest with ICP-MS finish for a 51-element suite. Quality control samples were inserted by the company and results reviewed prior to release. Grab samples were analysed by method Au-FA30/AuAg-GR30 for gold (30 g fire assay, with gravimetric finish for overlimit samples) 35AR-OES for a 35-element suite via aqua regia digest and ICP-OES.
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