Western Exploration Inc. announced the commencement of the 2022 diamond drill program (the Drill Program)at its 100% owned Aura project, located in Elko County, Nevada (the Aura Project). The Drill Program forms a part of the recommended two-phase exploration program as outlined in the Company's technical report on the Aura Project, entitled 2021 Updated Resource Estimates and Technical Report for the Aura Gold-Silver Project in Elko County, Nevada and dated October 20, 2021 (with an effective date of October 14, 2021), which was prepared for Western Exploration by Mine Development Associates (the Aura Technical Report). The Phase 1 Drill Program provides, among other things, for approximately 2,000 meters of large diameter core drilling in 10 to 12 drill holes at the Doby George mineral deposit.

The purpose of the Phase 1 Drill Program is to evaluate areas within, and adjacent to, the current resource boundary to: validate and delineate current mineral resources, locally test for the expansion potential and structural controls on mineralization, provide samples for metallurgical test work to outline leach kinematics, as well as ore and waste rock characteristics and expand upon geotechnical studies through additional test work. The results of the Drill Program, including all metallurgical testing and other exploration activities completed at the Aura Project, will be used to determine the basis for completing Phase 2 of the exploration program on the Aura Project, which is expected to focus on advancing the Doby George deposit towards the completion of a pre-feasibility study (PFS).