Operations Update

RNS Number : 1762U

Great Western Mining Corp. plc

01 April 2021

 

GREAT WESTERN MINING CORPORATION PLC

("Great Western", "GWM" or the "Company")

OPERATIONS UPDATE

Great Western Mining Corporation PLC (AIM - GWMO, Euronext Growth - 8GW) provides the following update on its operations in Mineral County, Nevada where it holds approximately 17,000 acres of mining claims and is exploring for, appraising and developing precious and base metals.

· Drilling commences in Nevada

· Development planning under way for commercial production

DRILLING

· A light coring rig has now been mobilised to the M4 copper project in the JS Group and the first hole has now been collared, with casing set in concrete for the first metre.  Drilling is going ahead immediately to test a prospective copper target and is likely to be followed by a second hole on the same prospect.  This rig has the advantage of being light and manoeuvrable but is correspondingly less powerful than a larger rig, so the initial drilling will test its capabilities and rate of penetration.  The Company plans to drill veins on the Mineral Jackpot group with this rig during the current work season, in areas which are difficult to access using a larger rig without new road construction.

· As previously announced, a reverse circulation drilling rig (RC Rig) has been contracted and will be moved to the vicinity in the next few days ready for the main 2021 drilling programme.  Subject to timely receipt of a formal drilling permit, applied for and expected shortly, the RC Rig will first be mobilised to the Trafalgar Hill prospect at the Olympic Gold Project where six holes will initially be drilled, most likely commencing in the third week of April.

PRODUCTION FACILITIES

Long term analysis of a sample load of spoil heap material from Mineral Jackpot by a metallurgical laboratory in the UK has now been completed and it has been concluded that gravity separation will be the most effective and economic means of recovering commercial quantities of gold and silver from the spoil heaps in this area.  Under test conditions, material which was ground to a diameter of 0.35mm liberated 50% of available gold and 40% of available silver, further improved when the material was ground to 0.25mm, which yielded up to 140 grams gold and 20,000 grams silver per tonne processed.  Following the laboratory results, Cyanide leaching is not recommended, due to greatly increased costs and a much longer lead time for commercial development which would deliver only a marginal increase in recoveries, and the Company will therefore proceed with a gravity separation project. 

The Company has this week signed a contract for the services of a highly-qualified, UK-based Metallurgical Consultant who is developing the specifications and sourcing equipment for a commercially viable gold and silver gravity separation project.

Great Western Chairman Brian Hall commented: "This is an exciting moment for the Company, being the first time in its history that it has launched a major drilling campaign for precious metals,  while a recent fund-raising will enable us to expand the programme where appropriate.  Our drilling plans for the 2021 season, primarily the search for precious metals but also including testing a copper prospect, are on track and we will be reporting on results as they become available.  In addition, we now have a way forward for our production operation and will keep shareholders informed on progress."

Qualified Person

Information in this announcement has been reviewed by William Cooper, who is the Chief Geologist and Vice-President Exploration of Great Western.   He holds a MSc in Mining Geology from the Camborne School of Mines.  He is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG) and is a  Qualified Person as defined in the Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies which form part of the AIM Rules for Companies.  Mr Cooper consents to the inclusion of the information in the form and context in which they appear.

For further information:

Great Western Mining Corporation PLC
Brian Hall, Chairman	[phone]
Max Williams, Finance Director	[phone]
Davy (NOMAD, Euronext Growth Adviser & Joint Broker) John Frain	[phone]
Novum Securities (Joint Broker) Jon Belliss	[phone]
ETX Capital (Joint Broker)  Thomas Smith	[phone]
Walbrook PR (PR advisers) Nick Rome/Nicholas Johnson	[phone]

 

END

 

 

UPDMZGFFDMZGMZM