Western Star Resources Inc. has reported the first modern assay results from its Eagle Point Tungsten Project in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, marking a significant step toward reviving a historic tungsten asset that has seen no work since 1957. The results, announced on October 7, 2026, include a continuous channel sample averaging 0.11% WO3 over 13.1 feet and grab samples returning up to 0.55% WO3 from scheelite-bearing skarn that mapping has traced along approximately 2,600 feet of the limestone-granite contact. The company now plans a 17-hole, approximately 6,070-foot drill program to test the continuity and geometry of the mineralization, which could ultimately lead to a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.
The significance of these findings extends beyond the individual grades. Tungsten has been designated a critical mineral by the United States and other Western nations, and domestic supply is increasingly viewed as a national-security priority. Blake Morgan, CEO and President of Western Star, emphasized this context: "Tungsten supply has become a national-security priority for the United States and we believe domestic deposits like Eagle Point have an important role to play." With China dominating global tungsten production and supply chains facing geopolitical risks, a viable domestic deposit could reduce reliance on imports for defense, aerospace, and industrial applications.
The assay results themselves provide multiple lines of evidence for a robust mineralized system. Of the 23 surface samples collected during the August 2026 field program, 14 exceeded 0.10% WO3, and 21 exceeded 100 ppm tungsten. The strongest values clustered in Trenches 4, 5, and 6, which lie closest to the mapped granite contact. A continuous channel sample, CH1, returned 0.11% WO3 over 13.1 feet, including 0.18% WO3 over 3.3 feet, with an estimated true width of approximately 12.5 feet. For full details, see Table 1: Channel CH1 results (continuous 3.3-foot intervals). Grab samples, which are selective by nature, returned up to 0.55% WO3 from Trench 5, 0.33% WO3 from Trench 4, and 0.28% WO3 from Trench 6, as shown in Table 2: Grab sample results (selective; not representative of grade or width). The company cautions that grab and stockpile samples may not be representative of overall mineralization.
Geologically, the tungsten occurs as scheelite in garnet-epidote-quartz skarn along the contact between the Horquilla Limestone and intrusive granite. Shortwave ultraviolet examination confirmed blue-white fluorescent scheelite, generally characteristic of low-molybdenum scheelite. An annotated photograph of Channel CH1 is available in Figure 2: Annotated photograph of Channel CH1. The photograph was digitally annotated because the original chalk markings are not visible. Red lines mark the channel start and end, the blue line marks the sampling line, and green lines mark the boundaries. The skarn has measured surface widths of 13 to 18 feet and steep dips averaging approximately 85 degrees, and samples collected to date cover approximately 1,680 feet of the mapped contact. Extensive talus cover obscures portions of the contact, but historical diamond-drill logs indicate that the host limestone overlies granite at a depth of approximately 200 to 300 feet, a constraint that informs the planned hole depths.
The planned drill program will be the first at Eagle Point in more than 70 years. Historical production, though limited, was high-grade: approximately 650 to 665 short tons grading about 0.44% WO3 were mined from an open cut and shipped during World War II. The U.S. government even signed a Defense Minerals Exploration Administration contract in 1955 to fund 75% of a shaft sinking and diamond drilling program, but the contract was never executed. Western Star views this as a strong endorsement of the project's potential and a starting point for its maiden work programs.
If drilling confirms the continuity and geometry of the scheelite-bearing skarn, Eagle Point could advance to a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate, a key milestone for the company and for domestic tungsten supply. The results will be integrated into a Leapfrog Geo model to finalize collar locations. The company is also advancing drilling logistics and permitting. While no Mineral Resource has been established yet, the convergence of historical data, modern mapping, and encouraging assays positions Eagle Point as a compelling exploration target in a critical mineral sector. The original release can be viewed on www.newmediawire.com.
