Great Western Mining Corporation (AIM:GWMO) surged 11.8% to 3.8p on Tuesday, after it started drilling at the Defender Tungsten Project in Mineral County, Nevada. Drill assay results were expected through September and October, with flotation test work on a 750 kg metallurgical bulk sample due in August.
The programme, which started on 17 August, will comprise up to 22 drill holes covering a minimum 7,000 feet (2,135 metres) and is designed to test grade continuity across a 600 to 1,000 metre corridor spanning the Pine Crow, Dough God and Defender tungsten mines.
Drilling underpins the company's plan to deliver a maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) by the end of 2026, with the work fully funded.
CEO Ed Loye and Lewis Harvey of Addison Mining Services, the independent Competent Person appointed on 4 August, are both on site for the start of the programme.
"It is great to see drilling now underway at Defender following a significant amount of preparatory work," Loye said, adding that having Harvey's oversight in place from the outset "will help ensure an efficient transition from drilling through to resource estimation."
Drill assay results are expected through September and October, while results from a 750 kg metallurgical bulk sample sent to Eriez in Pennsylvania for flotation test work are due in August.
Great Western also holds the Huntoon Copper Project in Mineral County, which carries a JORC-compliant resource of 4.3 million tonnes at 0.45% copper.
News Intelligence what this means for the company
Great Western has begun a 22-hole drilling programme at Defender in Nevada on 17 August, targeting a maiden JORC resource estimate by end-2026 with work fully funded. The company had previously signalled a July start; drilling now underway represents execution on that plan, with assay results expected through September–October and metallurgical test results due in August to inform resource definition.
Defender remains early-stage exploration; a maiden resource estimate by end-2026 is a near-term catalyst, but tungsten projects carry commodity price and permitting risk. The company's model—originating assets and retaining royalties—depends on finding partners to fund development; Defender's progress does not yet signal a path to production or material cash generation.
Insights assembled by AI. Editor-reviewed and grounded in tickstock’s coverage and proprietary knowledge graph.
Content is for informational purposes only, not financial advice.
