Rathdowney Project, Ireland (100% owned)
Situated in the Rathdowney area of Co. Laois, Ireland, Westland holds a 100% interest in prospective licence 1653. Lundin Mining, the operator of the nearby Galmoy mine, was carrying out exploration on the licence under a joint venture and in July 2011, relinquished its interest in the licence back to Minco. Minco now holds 100% interest in this licence and plans to continue its own exploration on this property.
Prospecting License 1653 is located approximately 4km to the northeast of the Galmoy mine. The area is of particular interest because of its proximity to the Galmoy Deposit and is located on the Rathdowney Trend, a similar structural trend as at Pallas Green. Previous work by Westland, Lundin and its predecessor Arcon Mines Limited, intersected zinc and lead mineralisation at the Rapla Prospect, located in the southern part of the license.