Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) has announced the first phase of exploration for its 100% owned White Star Tungsten Project in Elko County, Nevada, pending final approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange. The project, a past-producing tungsten-molybdenum skarn property located adjacent to the company's Rowland Tungsten Project, will undergo its first modern exploration program since the Mission Cross Mine ceased operations in the 1950s.
The planned 2026 work program includes a property-wide high-resolution UAV magnetometer survey and a systematic soil geochemistry campaign. These surveys are designed to define the geophysical and geochemical signature of the historical Mission Cross workings and identify additional skarn targets. Historical records from the USGS Bulletin 105 indicate that the Mission Cross Mine produced approximately 1,000 tons of ore assaying up to 1.0% WO3, and the company believes this represents only a small portion of a larger tungsten system.
CEO Blake Morgan stated, "White Star Property surrounds a documented past producer in a tungsten district that has never been evaluated using modern geophysics or systematic geochemistry. Our plan is straightforward: fly the property with a high-resolution drone magnetic survey and use soil geochemistry to define the true scale of the tungsten system." The proximity of the White Star and Rowland properties, covering over six kilometers of prospective tungsten-bearing horizons, allows for consolidated logistics and a district-scale exploration approach.
Geologically, the White Star Project is hosted within a contact metamorphic tungsten-molybdenum skarn system, similar to the Rowland Project. The area features Paleozoic sedimentary rocks intruded by a Cretaceous quartz monzonite stock, with skarn mineralization including scheelite, powellite, and molybdenite. The company plans to conduct a high-resolution UAV magnetic survey to refine structural interpretations and map intrusive contacts, which could reveal concealed skarn zones along strike from historical workings.
Soil geochemistry will help detect dispersion patterns from mineralized zones, particularly in areas where bedrock is obscured by cover. The company is also initiating the permitting process with the U.S. Forest Service to submit a Notice of Intent, aiming to position the project for drill testing of high-priority targets once data from the 2026 program are integrated.
Western Star has compiled historical data from sources including USGS MRDS (MRDS ID 10197459) and NBMG reports to support the exploration plan. The acquisition of the White Star Project remains subject to final CSE approval. The company will provide updates as field work progresses and assay results become available.
