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- Start of first modern exploration campaign at Keystone in over 80 years
- Fully funded 19-hole maiden drilling program to commence following pad construction
- Drilling to target strike and dip extensions of historic high-grade mine
- Drilling expected to commence late May.
Western Ridge Resources (ASX: WRX) has commenced earthworks at the historic Keystone project in Northern Nevada.
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The earthwork program start-up is a key milestone ahead of the first modern exploration campaign at the project in more than 80 years.
MD, Dr Matthew Cobb, said the 19-hole maiden drilling campaign is designed to test the strike and dip extensions of the historic Keystone mine, which last operated in 1943.
Historical records indicate production of approximately 36,000 ounces of silver from 1,700 tonnes of material, including reported run-of-mine grades exceeding 1,000 grams per tonne (g/t) of silver.
In addition to targeting extensions of the main Keystone vein, the program will assess the potential of a flat-lying vein system identified during the latter stages of mining in the 1940s.
“The commencement of earthworks is a significant milestone in Western Ridge’s revival of exploration at the Keystone Mine. Historic mine development only reached a depth of 30 metres below surface and was confined to a relatively small portion of the vein system at the project,” Dr Cobb said.
“With this in mind, the Keystone mineralised system remains broadly untested, with both the main vein and the relatively more recently identified flat vein system not yet closed off either along strike, or down dip.
“I am excited to put boots on ground this year and begin this first phase of exploration, which will be the lead- in to a broader campaign testing the numerous other high-priority targets at the Project.
“I look forward to continuing to update shareholders as this work progresses.”
The currently drilling program, both fully-permitted and fully-funded, comprises 19 reverse circulation (RC) drillholes for a total of 1,380m and specifically targets extensions to the known veins at the Keystone mine.
WRX is steady at 3.5¢. Mkt cap $5.526M.
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