Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) (OTC: WSRIF) (FRA: 4K2) reported results from its Phase 1 soil-geochemistry program at the past-producing Rowland Tungsten Property in Elko County, Nevada. The results confirmed a coherent, multi-element tungsten-skarn signature in soil over an approximately one-kilometre structural corridor, headlined by a peak of 1,425 parts per million (ppm) tungsten trioxide (WO3) in soil in the area of recently re-discovered historical workings.
The Phase 1 soil grid comprised 93 soil samples at nominal 25 m spacing over the central Rowland workings corridor. The peak value of 0.14% WO3 (1,130 ppm W) was returned directly over a zone of historical workings. Soils over the main historical workings, referred to as Rowland Main, returned up to 517 ppm and 504 ppm WO3. The anomalous soil results provide a baseline for interpreting the expanded soil results and crucially align with contacts mapped by the Company’s UAV magnetic survey.
Blake Morgan, President and CEO of Western Star, commented, “As far as we are aware, this is the first ever soil geochemistry survey completed by a public company at Rowland, and returning a high value result of 0.14% WO3 is an excellent start. The anomalous soil results provide a baseline to interpret the expanded soil results once they arrive. Crucially, the soils line up with the contacts our UAV magnetics are mapping, which is the strongest possible vector for where to look next.”
The soils also revealed multiple critical metals, including copper (up to 1,185 ppm), molybdenum (up to 35 ppm), bismuth (up to 5.2 ppm), and beryllium (up to 4.56 ppm), confirming a coherent polymetallic skarn signature. The strongest soil anomalies sit on magnetic gradients, interpreted as lithological and structural contacts imaged by the Company’s UAV magnetic survey. This coincidence of high-grade, polymetallic-metal soils with interpreted contacts over an approximately one-kilometre area is a powerful exploration vector.
Rowland is interpreted as a reduced tungsten (W-Cu-Mo-Bi) skarn, where tungsten-bearing fluids from a Cretaceous granite reacted with Ordovician–Cambrian limestone to deposit scheelite-bearing skarn. The Phase 1 soils sit directly on this carbonate host, and the anomalous samples are interpreted to reflect a tungsten-skarn system developed along a carbonate–intrusive contact with potentially mineralised NE-SW structures.
On the strength of these results, Western Star is mobilising an expanded soil-sampling program to commence imminently. The program is designed to trace the prospective skarn contacts outward from the known workings and potential mineralisation controlling faults. Results from the expanded program will be integrated with the UAV magnetic survey and field mapping to generate and prioritise drill targets for a maiden drill program at Rowland.
The company noted that the property has never been systematically explored in the way Western Star operates, making this orientation sampling program crucial for designing the main phase of exploration. The encouraging results have shown tungsten is strongly and discretely anomalous against baseline background values (approximately 2 ppm WO3). Multiple samples exceed 10 ppm, five above 50 ppm, and three above 100 ppm W.
Soil samples were submitted to ALS, an accredited laboratory, and analysed by method ME-MS41L (aqua-regia digest, 51-element ICP-MS). Tungsten values are reported in ppm; WO3 is calculated as W × 1.2611. The scientific and technical information has been reviewed and approved by Jasper Mowatt, MIMMM and MAusIMM, a consultant to the company and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
Western Star Resources is an emerging junior mineral exploration company focused on revitalizing North America's tungsten supply. The Company is advancing its entry into the U.S. market through past-producing tungsten assets in historically important mining districts and is positioning itself to participate in the growing need for secure domestic critical mineral supply.
