Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) (OTC: WSRIF) (FRA: 4K2) has announced its first phase of exploration for the 100% owned White Star Tungsten Project in Elko County, Nevada, pending final approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange. The program, set for 2026, will be the first modern exploration at the site since the Mission Cross Mine ceased operations in the 1950s.
The White Star Project, a past-producing tungsten-molybdenum skarn property, is located approximately nine miles southwest of Jarbidge, adjacent to the company’s Rowland Tungsten Project. The proximity allows for consolidated logistics and a district-scale exploration approach. Historical production at the Mission Cross Mine included approximately 1,000 tons of ore assaying up to 1.0% WO3, according to USGS Bulletin 105.
The 2026 program will include a property-wide high-resolution UAV magnetometer survey and a systematic soil geochemistry campaign. These surveys aim to map the extent of the tungsten system and generate drill targets. “White Star Property surrounds a documented past producer in a tungsten district that has never been evaluated using modern geophysics or systematic geochemistry,” said Blake Morgan, CEO and President of Western Star. “Running this in parallel with Rowland gives shareholders a single, integrated district story.”
The White Star Project sits within a contact metamorphic tungsten-molybdenum skarn setting, similar to the Rowland Project. Regional geology includes Paleozoic sedimentary rocks intruded by a Cretaceous quartz monzonite stock, with skarn minerals such as scheelite, powellite, and molybdenite. The company believes additional skarn-hosted mineralization may exist along strike and at depth from historical workings.
The UAV magnetic survey will be the first modern geophysical survey on the property, designed to refine structural interpretation and map intrusive contacts. Soil geochemistry will help detect dispersion patterns from mineralized zones, especially where bedrock is covered. The company is also initiating the permitting process with the U.S. Forest Service to position the project for drill testing.
Western Star has compiled historical data from sources including the USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS ID 10197459), NBMG Bulletin 65, and NBMG Bulletin 105. The company believes that both the White Star and Rowland properties could be part of a contiguous tungsten-molybdenum skarn complex covering over six kilometers of prospective horizons.
The announcement underscores the growing interest in domestic tungsten supply, as the metal is critical for defense and industrial applications. The exploration program represents a significant step toward evaluating the resource potential of the district.
