Heap-Leach Gold in Nevada, But Can They Build it on Schedule?
August 29, 2026
Western Exploration’s flagship is the Aura gold-silver project about 120 km north of Elko, Nevada. Aura is three deposits rather than one: Doby George, a near-surface oxide body they want to run as a 7,500 tonne per day open pit heap leach; Gravel Creek, a higher-grade sulphide system they see as an underground mine; and Wood Gulch, a small historic Homestake pit. In this interview, I asked about the October 2025 PEA numbers, the mine plan of operations just filed with the US Forest Service, permitting timelines, Gravel Creek metallurgy and concentrate marketing, the treasury, and how they intend to fund roughly US$150 million of work.
