Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) (OTC: WSRIF) (FRA: 4K2) has acquired a 100% interest in the past-producing Eagle Point Tungsten Mine in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, the company announced on June 15, 2026. The property, located in the Granite Pass area of the Little Hatchet mining district, comprises 24 lode mining claims and has a documented history of production during World War II, with approximately 1,800 tons of ore shipped at a grade of about 0.5% WO3. Recent sampling by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) returned grades of up to 27.6% WO3, indicating that historical work may have significantly underestimated the grade potential.
Tungsten is a designated U.S. critical mineral, essential for defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. The United States currently has no domestic commercial production, with approximately 85% of global supply controlled by China, according to the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025. The acquisition positions Western Star to capitalize on federal initiatives to fast-track domestic tungsten projects and reduce reliance on imports.
The Eagle Point deposit is a contact-metamorphic tungsten skarn (tactite-replacement) deposit, similar to many of the world's most significant tungsten deposits. The mineralized system includes eight separate skarn bodies exposed at surface, with scheelite (tungsten ore) occurring within garnet-rich tactite zones. Molybdenum is also present as a potential co-product, with USGS samples showing up to 0.98% molybdenum in the highest-grade tungsten sample.
Historical records indicate that the property was examined repeatedly by U.S. Bureau of Mines and USGS geologists between 1941 and 1957. In 1955, the U.S. government approved a Defense Minerals Exploration Administration (DMEA) contract to fund 75% of a drilling program, but the contract was never executed, leaving the property's principal exploration objectives untested. Western Star CEO Blake Morgan noted that the property has never been touched by modern exploration, despite its high-grade surface mineralization and government backing.
The company plans to advance the project with a systematic exploration program, including a high-resolution drone magnetic geophysical survey, rock-chip and soil geochemical sampling, and field mapping with UV fluorescence surveying. The results will be used to prioritize drill targets and support permitting for future drilling.
Under the terms of the acquisition, Western Star paid C$150,000 in cash and issued 4,000,000 common shares to the vendors, along with a 1.5% net smelter returns royalty. The company may repurchase 1.0% of the royalty for C$1,000,000. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.
The scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed by Jasper Mowatt, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Western Star Resources is a mineral exploration and development company focused on building a portfolio of U.S. critical mineral assets.
