VANCOUVER, BC - Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) (OTC: WSRIF) (FRA: 4K2) has announced the results of a district-scale three-dimensional geophysical inversion across its Rowland and White Star tungsten properties in Elko County, Nevada. The modelling has defined buried and partially exposed intrusive bodies and refined the fault network interpreted to channel mineralising fluid into the tungsten skarn system. Importantly, the Company's highest-grade rock chips—4.02% WO3 at Rowland and 3.00% WO3 at White Star—both correspond spatially with the contact between these modelled intrusive rocks and the carbonate host. The modelled intrusive framework extends well beyond the limits of mapped outcrop, opening substantial new search space across both properties.
Blake Morgan, CEO and President of Western Star, stated, "This is the result we were hoping for. The inversion has modelled intrusive bodies spatially associated with areas where we sampled high grade tungsten values, and it has mapped the faults that we believe carried the fluid there. That is the tungsten skarn recipe, and we can now see it in three dimensions across the whole district. Better still, the modelled intrusives are more extensive than has been previously mapped, which means the ground that has produced our best rock chips continues into untested areas. Soil geochemistry from Phase 2 is due back shortly and we can use these in our drill hole planning."
The inversion was completed by Warren Hughes, P.Geo., of East Coast Consulting, a specialist in geophysical modelling. It defines buried and partially exposed intrusive bodies across the district, with the modelled intrusive framework extending well beyond mapped outcrop. Approximately 25 kilometres of structure has been interpreted in two dominant orientations: north-east–south-west and north-west–south-east. These are interpreted as the fluid conduits that fed the skarn and represent the first structural framework mapped at property scale in this district. The modelled magnetic domains correspond closely with the units mapped by Coats (1964), and the inversion adds depth and continuity to that mapping.
Tungsten skarns form where a granitic intrusion is emplaced into a carbonate sequence, expelling metal-bearing hydrothermal fluid that reacts with surrounding limestone to produce skarn, where scheelite is deposited. Three elements must be present together: an intrusion to drive the system, reactive carbonate rock to host replacement, and structures to focus fluid. The deposit model from the U.S. Geological Survey assessment (Lederer and others, 2021) shows this arrangement clearly. Both properties fit this model, with Coats (1964) mapping a quartz monzonite intrusion, a Palaeozoic carbonate sequence, and skarn developed at their contact.
The most important outcome is the relationship between modelled intrusive rocks and existing rock-chip results. At Rowland, the 4.02% WO3 sample sits directly on the mapped tactite where it abuts the modelled intrusive body. At White Star, the 3.00% WO3 sample occupies the same position on a separate intrusive body. Both are within or immediately adjacent to interpreted structural corridors. The modelled intrusive extends considerably beyond mapped outcrop, materially enlarging the search space.
The inversion also resolves geology beneath extensive Quaternary cover on the eastern flank of the district, providing an exploration vector into ground that cannot be mapped or sampled at surface. Soil geochemistry from the Phase 2 programme is expected shortly and will be integrated with the inversion model, structural framework, and geological mapping to define and rank drill targets.
Western Star also announced it has satisfied the first performance milestone under the option agreement for the Rowland tungsten project. Milestone One required increasing the total project claim area by at least 30% and identifying at least three rock-chip samples grading above 2.0% WO3. Both conditions have been met well beyond thresholds: the claim package was expanded from 84 hectares to 221 hectares, an increase of approximately 165%, and four Rowland samples graded above 2.0% WO3. The Company will issue 500,000 common shares to the vendors, valued at the 10-day volume-weighted average price immediately preceding the verification date, subject to CSE policies.
The scientific and technical information has been reviewed and approved by Jasper Mowatt, MIMMM, MAusIMM, a consultant to the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. The UAV magnetic survey and inversion were conducted with rigorous QA/QC procedures. The interpretations require confirmation by drilling.
