ASX-listed critical minerals explorer Western Ridge Resources has expanded its landholding around the Keystone project, in Nevada, by 4 960 acres with the staking of an additional 248 lode claims.
The expansion represents a 500% increase in the company’s Keystone land position. Notably, the new landholding has multiple historic mining workings with no record of modern exploration.
Western Ridge affirms the geology in the surrounds is identical to what has been seen at Keystone, with the company having started compiling historical data to review the expanded area.
The company now holds a dominant land position within the emerging mineralised trend prospective for tungsten, silver and gold.
Western Ridge plans to launch a maiden 19-hole drilling programme at Keystone soon, while assessing historical workings for follow-up exploration.
“Expanding the Keystone landholding is a strategic decision to capitalise on our early entrant advantage in the Pershing Trend and has enabled the company to secure numerous additional historic mining localities within what we consider to be a commanding regional land position.
“The newly acquired claims cover geology interpreted to be identical to that at Keystone, and despite the presence of widespread historical workings throughout the district, there has been no modern exploration completed. As part of our systematic review and exploration, Western Ridge will assess additional tungsten, silver and gold targets across the broader project area,” MD Matthew Cobb concludes.