<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-26-138080.txt : 20260401
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-26-138080.hdr.sgml : 20260401
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20260401164248
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-26-138080
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	SCHEDULE 13D/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20260401
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20260401

SUBJECT COMPANY:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Western Copper & Gold Corp
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001364125
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	METAL MINING [1000]
		ORGANIZATION NAME:           	01 Energy & Transportation
		EIN:				000000000
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			A1
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		SCHEDULE 13D/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	005-83625
		FILM NUMBER:		26828992

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		ADDRESS IS A NON US LOCATION: 	YES
		STREET 1:		SUITE 907- 1030 WEST GEORGIA STREET
		CITY:			VANCOUVER
		PROVINCE COUNTRY:   	A1
		ZIP:			V6E 2Y3
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6046849497

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		ADDRESS IS A NON US LOCATION: 	YES
		STREET 1:		SUITE 907- 1030 WEST GEORGIA STREET
		CITY:			VANCOUVER
		PROVINCE COUNTRY:   	A1
		ZIP:			V6E 2Y3

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	Western Copper CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20060525

FILED BY:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RIO TINTO PLC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000863064
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	METAL MINING [1000]
		ORGANIZATION NAME:           	01 Energy & Transportation
		EIN:				000000000
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			X0
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		SCHEDULE 13D/A

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		6 ST JAMES'S SQUARE
		CITY:			LONDON, SW1Y 4AD
		STATE:			X0
		ZIP:			00000
		BUSINESS PHONE:		801-204-8000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		RIO TINTO SERVICES INC.
		STREET 2:		80 STATE STREET
		CITY:			ALBANY
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			12207-2543

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	RTZ CORPORATION PLC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19950522
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>SCHEDULE 13D/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/schedule13D" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
  <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>
<headerData>
    <submissionType>SCHEDULE 13D/A</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <filer>
        <filerCredentials>
          <cik>0000863064</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </filerCredentials>
      </filer>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>



    </filerInfo>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <coverPageHeader>
      <amendmentNo>4</amendmentNo>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common Shares, without par value</securitiesClassTitle>
      <dateOfEvent>03/26/2026</dateOfEvent>
      <previouslyFiledFlag>false</previouslyFiledFlag>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCIK>0001364125</issuerCIK>
        <issuerCusips>
          <issuerCusipNumber>95805V108</issuerCusipNumber>
        </issuerCusips>
        <issuerName>Western Copper and Gold Corporation</issuerName>
        <address>
          <street1 xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">Suite 907 - 1030 West Georgia Street</street1>
          <city xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">Vancouver</city>
          <stateOrCountry xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">A1</stateOrCountry>
          <zipCode xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">V6E 2Y3</zipCode>
        </address>
      </issuerInfo>
      <authorizedPersons>
        <notificationInfo>
          <personName>Andy Hodges, Company Secretary</personName>
          <personPhoneNum>44 (0) 20 7781 2000</personPhoneNum>
          <personAddress>
            <street1 xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">Rio Tinto plc</street1>
            <street2 xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">6 St James's Square</street2>
            <city xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">London</city>
            <stateOrCountry xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">X0</stateOrCountry>
            <zipCode xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">SW1Y 4AD</zipCode>
          </personAddress>
        </notificationInfo>
        <notificationInfo>
          <personName>With copy to: Scott Miller</personName>
          <personPhoneNum>1 212 558-4000</personPhoneNum>
          <personAddress>
            <street1 xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">Sullivan &amp; Cromwell LLP</street1>
            <street2 xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">125 Broad Street</street2>
            <city xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">New York</city>
            <stateOrCountry xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">NY</stateOrCountry>
            <zipCode xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">10004</zipCode>
          </personAddress>
        </notificationInfo>
      </authorizedPersons>
    </coverPageHeader>
    <reportingPersons>
      <reportingPersonInfo>
        <reportingPersonCIK>0000863064</reportingPersonCIK>
        <reportingPersonNoCIK>N</reportingPersonNoCIK>
        <reportingPersonName>Rio Tinto plc</reportingPersonName>
        <memberOfGroup>b</memberOfGroup>
        <fundType>WC</fundType>
        <legalProceedings>N</legalProceedings>
        <citizenshipOrOrganization>X0</citizenshipOrOrganization>
        <soleVotingPower>0</soleVotingPower>
        <sharedVotingPower>19004925</sharedVotingPower>
        <soleDispositivePower>0</soleDispositivePower>
        <sharedDispositivePower>19004925</sharedDispositivePower>
        <aggregateAmountOwned>19004925</aggregateAmountOwned>
        <isAggregateExcludeShares>N</isAggregateExcludeShares>
        <percentOfClass>8.42</percentOfClass>
        <typeOfReportingPerson>HC</typeOfReportingPerson>
        <typeOfReportingPerson>CO</typeOfReportingPerson>
        <commentContent>For rows 8, 10, 11 and 13, see Item 5.

For row 13, the calculation is based on 225,628,684 common shares, without par value (the "Shares"), being the number of Shares outstanding as of March 25, 2026, as disclosed in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2025.</commentContent>
      </reportingPersonInfo>
      <reportingPersonInfo>
        <reportingPersonNoCIK>Y</reportingPersonNoCIK>
        <reportingPersonName>Rio Tinto Canada Inc.</reportingPersonName>
        <memberOfGroup>b</memberOfGroup>
        <fundType>AF</fundType>
        <legalProceedings>N</legalProceedings>
        <citizenshipOrOrganization>Z4</citizenshipOrOrganization>
        <soleVotingPower>0</soleVotingPower>
        <sharedVotingPower>19004925</sharedVotingPower>
        <soleDispositivePower>0</soleDispositivePower>
        <sharedDispositivePower>19004925</sharedDispositivePower>
        <aggregateAmountOwned>19004925</aggregateAmountOwned>
        <isAggregateExcludeShares>N</isAggregateExcludeShares>
        <percentOfClass>8.42</percentOfClass>
        <typeOfReportingPerson>CO</typeOfReportingPerson>
        <commentContent>For rows 8, 10, 11 and 13, see Item 5.

For row 13, the calculation is based on 225,628,684 common shares, without par value (the "Shares"), being the number of Shares outstanding as of March 25, 2026, as disclosed in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31,2025.</commentContent>
      </reportingPersonInfo>
    </reportingPersons>
    <items1To7>
      <item1>
        <securityTitle>Common Shares, without par value</securityTitle>
        <issuerName>Western Copper and Gold Corporation</issuerName>
        <issuerPrincipalAddress>
          <street1 xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">Suite 907 - 1030 West Georgia Street</street1>
          <city xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">Vancouver</city>
          <stateOrCountry xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">A1</stateOrCountry>
          <zipCode xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">V6E 2Y3</zipCode>
        </issuerPrincipalAddress>
        <commentText>This Amendment No. 4 ("Amendment No. 4") relates to the Statement on Schedule 13D (this "Schedule 13D") filed on April 1, 2026 by Rio Tinto plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales ("Rio Tinto"), and Rio Tinto Canada Inc., a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada ("RTCI" and, together with Rio Tinto, the "Rio Tinto Companies").  Except as otherwise provided herein, each item of the Original Schedule 13D remains unchanged.

Explanatory Note: This Amendment No. 4 is being filed to reflect a passive decrease of greater than one percent (1%) in the percentage of the Company's Common Shares owned beneficially by the Reporting Persons based on the Company's disclosure of the number of Common Shares outstanding.</commentText>
      </item1>
      <item4>
        <transactionPurpose>Item 4 of the Original Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following information:

The Company discloses the number of its issued and outstanding Common Shares on a quarterly basis.  On March 26, 2026, the Company filed its Form 40-F with the Securities and Exchange Commission including as an Exhibit the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended Dember 31, 2025.  The Annual Information Form disclosed on page 26 that "[a]s of March 25, 2026, the Company had 225,628,684 Common Shares issued and outstanding."</transactionPurpose>
      </item4>
      <item5>
        <transactionDesc>Item 5 of the Original Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following information:

The information set forth in Item 4 of this Amendment No. 4 is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Item 5.  There were no other transactions by the reporting persons that were effected during the past 60 days.</transactionDesc>
      </item5>
      <item7>
        <filedExhibits>A     Joint Filing Agreement between Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Canada Inc., dated November 23, 2022.*
B     Subscription Agreement between Western Copper and Gold Corporation and Rio Tinto Canada Inc. dated May 14, 2021.*
C     Investor Rights Agreement between Western Copper and Gold Corporation and Rio Tinto Canada Inc. dated May 28, 2021.*
D     Extension letter dated November 22, 2022, from Rio Tinto Canada Inc. to Western Copper and Gold Corporation.*
E     Subscription Agreement, dated November 27, 2023, between Western Copper and Gold Corporation and Rio Tinto Canada Inc.
F     Amended and Restated Investor Rights Agreement dated November 27, 2023, between Western Copper and Gold Corporation and Rio Tinto Canada Inc.*
G     Form of Second Amended and Restated Investor Rights Agreement dated June 13, 2025, between Western Copper and Gold Corporation and Rio Tinto Canada Inc.*

* Previously filed.</filedExhibits>
      </item7>
    </items1To7>
    <signatureInfo>
      <signaturePerson>
        <signatureReportingPerson>Rio Tinto plc</signatureReportingPerson>
        <signatureDetails>
          <signature>/s/Andy Hodges</signature>
          <title>Andy Hodges, Company Secretary</title>
          <date>04/01/2026</date>
        </signatureDetails>
      </signaturePerson>
      <signaturePerson>
        <signatureReportingPerson>Rio Tinto Canada Inc.</signatureReportingPerson>
        <signatureDetails>
          <signature>/s/Julie Parent</signature>
          <title>Julie Parent, Director</title>
          <date>04/01/2026</date>
        </signatureDetails>
      </signaturePerson>
    </signatureInfo>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
