Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) (“Aton” or the “Company") is
pleased to update investors on progress at its Hamama West
gold-silver project, located in the Company’s 100% owned Abu
Marawat Concession (“Abu Marawat” or the “Concession”), in the
Eastern Desert of Egypt.
Highlights:
- The
Hamama West RC infill drilling programme was completed on August
24, 2022, with a total of 6,620m drilled, including 5 holes at the
West Garida prospect;
- Assay
results have been received for the first 35 holes, HAP-101 to
HAP-135, to date;
-
Significant intersections include 2.90 g/t Au, 68.9 g/t Ag
and 3.71 g/t AuEq over a 37m interval from surface (drill
hole HAP-115), 2.87 g/t Au, 54.3 g/t Ag and 3.51 AuEq over
a 22m interval from 1m depth (hole HAP-110), and
1.43 g/t Au, 24.1 g/t Ag and 1.72 g/t AuEq over a 32m
interval from 3m depth (hole HAP-115).
“The RC resource infill drilling programme at
Hamama West has now been completed on schedule, and we are surely
pleased with the initial results of the drilling that we have
received so far” said Tonno Vahk, Interim CEO. “The results are in
line with our expectations, and again confirm that the Hamama West
oxide gold cap will be an easily mineable body of oxide
mineralisation outcropping at surface, and which metallurgical
testing has shown to be eminently treatable using heap leach
processing technology. As soon as all the results have been
received they will be forwarded on to our consultants Cube
Consulting, who will commence work on revising the Hamama West
mineral resource estimate. The development of the Hamama West
starter open pit and heap leach project on the outcropping oxides,
as only the second commercial gold mining operation in Egypt, will
be a huge step forwards for the mining and mineral exploration
sector in Egypt, the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority, and of
course for Aton, and for all our stakeholders.”
Hamama West RC drilling
programme
The Hamama West project has an indicated
resource of 137,000 ounces of gold equivalent (“AuEq”, gold and
silver combined), and an inferred resource of 341,000 ounces AuEq.
The uppermost oxide and transitional component of the Hamama West
deposit (the “gold oxide cap”) comprises an inferred resource of
106,000 ounces AuEq (see news release dated January 24, 2017).
Metallurgical testwork has indicated average gold recoveries of
75.6% and 72.7% from oxide and transitional mineralisation types
respectively (see news release dated February 22, 2018), using
standard heap leach processing technology. Aton plans to initially
mine the outcropping oxide gold cap of the deposit, which is
mineralised directly from surface, as a low capex/opex starter open
pit mining operation, with a heap leach processing facility. The
Hamama West oxides will provide early cash flow, and will represent
the first stage of phased mine development at the Abu Marawat
Concession.
The reverse circulation percussion (“RC”)
resource infill drilling programme at the Hamama West gold-silver
project (Figure 1) has now been completed, with the final hole,
HAP-204, terminated on August 24, 2022. The programme was designed
by Aton, in conjunction with our mineral resource consultants, Cube
Consulting (Perth, Western Australia), to primarily test the oxide
and transitional portion of the Hamama West mineral resource
estimate (“MRE”), with the specific objective of upgrading the
confidence of the existing inferred resource. A number of holes
also tested the underlying sulphide resource, and a series of
deeper holes was added at the end of the programme with a view to
testing potential deeper sulphide mineralisation, and increasing
the overall MRE at Hamama West.
Figure 1: Geology plan of the
Abu Marawat Concession, showing the location of the Hamama West
project
Figure 2: Schematic geology of the Hamama –
West Garida area
A total of 6,620m was drilled for the programme,
predominantly at the Hamama West zone. 3 holes were completed, for
297m, at the Western Carbonate zone, and 5 holes, for 390m, at the
West Garida prospect approximately 3km east of Hamama West (Figure
2), with the remaining 5,933m drilled at Hamama West.
Drill holes were laid out using handheld GPS,
with all collars to be surveyed by total station within the coming
week. Drill holes were down hole surveyed at appropriate intervals
using a Champ GyroTM north-seeking gyroscopic survey tool. Collar
details of holes HAP-101 to HAP-135 are provided in Table 1
below:
Hole ID |
Collar co-ordinates 1 |
Dip 2 |
Grid azimuth 2 |
EOH depth (m) |
Comments |
X |
Y |
Z |
HAP-101 |
534289 |
2913870 |
506 |
-60 |
187 |
120 |
|
HAP-102 |
534316 |
2913876 |
516 |
-50 |
180 |
100 |
|
HAP-103 |
534339 |
2913865 |
510 |
-55 |
180 |
110 |
|
HAP-104 |
534358 |
2913840 |
507 |
-55 |
180 |
100 |
|
HAP-105 |
534344 |
2913832 |
507 |
-55 |
180 |
75 |
|
HAP-106 |
534319 |
2913832 |
507 |
-55 |
180 |
70 |
|
HAP-107 |
534280 |
2913818 |
527 |
-75 |
180 |
95 |
|
HAP-108 |
534280 |
2913818 |
527 |
-55 |
180 |
80 |
|
HAP-109 |
534281 |
2913784 |
528 |
-50 |
180 |
58 |
|
HAP-110 |
534286 |
2913766 |
528 |
-65 |
180 |
25 |
|
HAP-111 |
534321 |
2913750 |
520 |
-90 |
n/a |
25 |
|
HAP-111a |
534317 |
2913752 |
520 |
-90 |
n/a |
4 |
Re-drill of top 4m of HAP-111 |
HAP-112 |
534341 |
2913749 |
522 |
-55 |
180 |
25 |
|
HAP-113 |
534342 |
2913722 |
524 |
-55 |
180 |
20 |
|
HAP-114 |
534340 |
2913765 |
531 |
-55 |
180 |
35 |
|
HAP-115 |
534338 |
2913785 |
528 |
-55 |
180 |
45 |
|
HAP-116 |
534400 |
2913757 |
535 |
-90 |
n/a |
20 |
|
HAP-117 |
534400 |
2913772 |
522 |
-90 |
n/a |
40 |
|
HAP-118 |
534429 |
2913771 |
534 |
-90 |
n/a |
20 |
|
HAP-118a |
534426 |
2913771 |
534 |
-90 |
n/a |
4 |
Re-drill of top 4m of HAP-118 |
HAP-119 |
534458 |
2913787 |
530 |
-90 |
n/a |
35 |
|
HAP-120 |
534459 |
2913805 |
527 |
-55 |
180 |
40 |
|
HAP-121 |
534490 |
2913807 |
530 |
-90 |
0 |
50 |
|
HAP-122 |
534490 |
2913807 |
530 |
-55 |
180 |
40 |
|
HAP-123 |
534524 |
2913792 |
535 |
-55 |
180 |
25 |
|
HAP-124 |
534496 |
2913771 |
535 |
-90 |
n/a |
30 |
|
HAP-125 |
534530 |
2913771 |
532 |
-90 |
n/a |
20 |
|
HAP-126 |
534563 |
2913783 |
530 |
-55 |
180 |
40 |
|
HAP-127 |
534563 |
2913783 |
530 |
-90 |
n/a |
50 |
|
HAP-128 |
534601 |
2913789 |
534 |
-55 |
180 |
40 |
|
HAP-129 |
534601 |
2913789 |
534 |
-90 |
n/a |
50 |
|
HAP-130 |
534335 |
2913809 |
518 |
-55 |
180 |
60 |
|
HAP-131 |
534361 |
2913806 |
516 |
-55 |
180 |
70 |
|
HAP-132 |
534405 |
2913820 |
518 |
-55 |
188 |
70 |
|
HAP-133 |
534430 |
2913821 |
521 |
-55 |
180 |
60 |
|
HAP-134 |
534461 |
2913829 |
518 |
-55 |
180 |
50 |
|
HAP-135 |
534488 |
2913840 |
517 |
-50 |
180 |
60 |
|
Notes: 1) Collar
co-ordinates surveyed by handheld Garmin
GPS 2) Collar
surveys of drill holes undertaken at c. 3-6m depth, using a Champ
Gyro north-seeking gyroscopic survey
tool 3) All
co-ordinates are UTM (WGS84) Zone 36R |
Table 1: Collar details of RC
percussion holes HAP-101 to HAP-135
Figure 3: Hamama West RC drilling
programme – drill hole collar plan (red: holes reporting, blue:
oxide/transitional holes completed, but yet to be reported)
Results
Selected significant intersections from the
first 35 holes are shown below in Table 2, and full results from
all holes are provided in Appendix A.
Hole ID |
Intersection (m) 1 |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (g/t) |
AuEq 2(g/t) |
Comments |
From |
To |
Interval |
HAP-101 |
68 |
96 |
28 |
0.76 |
53.33 |
1.39 |
Sulphide mineralisation |
HAP-107 |
40 |
56 |
16 |
1.22 |
54.46 |
1.86 |
Oxide / sulphide mineralisation |
HAP-108 |
35 |
52 |
17 |
0.94 |
30.77 |
1.30 |
Oxide / sulphide mineralisation |
HAP-109 |
3 |
35 |
32 |
1.43 |
24.09 |
1.72 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-110 |
1 |
23 |
22 |
2.87 |
54.27 |
3.51 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-111 |
0 |
10 |
10 |
1.80 |
132.1 |
3.36 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-112 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
5.55 |
156.6 |
7.40 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-114 |
0 |
20 |
20 |
1.90 |
42.40 |
2.40 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-115 |
0 |
37 |
37 |
2.90 |
68.94 |
3.71 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-116 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
3.07 |
37.07 |
3.51 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-117 |
0 |
11 |
11 |
2.35 |
40.39 |
2.82 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-118 |
0 |
10 |
10 |
1.25 |
29.35 |
1.59 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-119 |
0 |
16 |
16 |
1.86 |
27.57 |
2.18 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-120 |
1 |
31 |
30 |
1.06 |
21.93 |
1.32 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-130 |
0 |
35 |
35 |
0.99 |
29.41 |
1.34 |
Oxide mineralisation from surface |
HAP-131 |
17 |
34 |
17 |
1.26 |
98.35 |
2.42 |
Transitional mineralisation |
and |
41 |
51 |
10 |
0.95 |
17.41 |
1.15 |
Sulphide mineralisation |
Notes: 1) Intersections
calculated at a nominal cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t AuEq in runs of
continuous
mineralisation 2) Gold
equivalent, AuEq, is calculated at a ratio of 85:1 Au:Ag (ie. 1 g/t
Au = 85 g/t Ag) |
Table 2: Selected mineralised
intersections from RC percussion holes HAP-101 to HAP-135
Sampling and analytical
procedures
The RC holes were drilled at 140mm diameter, and
the bulk percussion chip samples were collected directly into
pre-written large plastic bags from the cyclone every metre,
numbered with the hole number and hole depths, and laid out
sequentially at the drill site. Between each metre of drilling the
cyclone and top box were cleaned out with compressed air. The bags
were then moved to a logging and storage area where the chips were
logged by Aton geologists. The bulk 1m samples were weighed, and
subsequently riffle split through a 3-tier splitter onsite by Aton
field staff to produce an approximately 1/8 split, which was
collected in cloth bags, numbered and tagged with the hole number
and depth. The splitter was cleaned with compressed air between
each sample. The reject material from this initial bulk split was
re-bagged, labelled and tagged, and the bulk reject samples will be
stored and retained on site at Hamama. A representative sample of
each metre was washed, stored in marked plastic chip trays, each
containing 20m of samples, photographed, and retained onsite as a
permanent record of the drill hole.
All the 1m split samples were weighed again, and
the samples were riffle split onsite at the Hamama sample
preparation facility, typically a further 3-4 times using a smaller
lab splitter, to produce a nominal c. 250-500g sample split for
dispatch to the assay laboratory. Again the splitter was cleaned
with compressed air between each sample. The laboratory splits were
allocated new sample numbers.
QAQC samples are inserted into the sample stream
at a rate of approximately 1 certified reference material (or
“standard” sample) every 30 samples, 1 blank sample every 15
samples, and 1 field duplicate split sample every 15 samples.
The c. 250-500g split samples were shipped to
ALS Minerals sample preparation laboratory at Marsa Alam, Egypt,
where they were pulverised to a size fraction of better than 85%
passing 75 microns. From this pulverised material a further
sub-sample was split off with a nominal c. 50g size, which was
shipped on to ALS Minerals at Rosia Montana, Romania for
analysis.
Samples were analysed for gold by fire assay
with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (“AAS”) finish (analytical
code Au-AA23), and for silver using an aqua regia digest followed
by an AAS finish (analytical code Ag-AA45). Any high grade gold
samples (Au >10 g/t) were re-analysed using analytical code
Au-GRA21 (also fire assay, with a gravimetric finish). High grade
Ag samples (Ag >100 g/t) were re-analysed using the ore grade
technique Ag-AA46 (also an aqua regia digest followed by an AAS
finish).
About Aton Resources Inc. Aton
Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) is focused on its 100% owned Abu
Marawat Concession (“Abu Marawat”), located in Egypt’s
Arabian-Nubian Shield, approximately 200 km north of Centamin’s
world-class Sukari gold mine. Aton has identified numerous gold and
base metal exploration targets at Abu Marawat, including the Hamama
deposit in the west, the Abu Marawat deposit in the northeast, and
the advanced Rodruin exploration prospect in the south of the
Concession. Two historic British gold mines are also located on the
Concession at Sir Bakis and Semna. Aton has identified several
distinct geological trends within Abu Marawat, which display
potential for the development of a variety of styles of precious
and base metal mineralisation. Abu Marawat is 447.7 km2 in size and
is located in an area of excellent infrastructure; a four-lane
highway, a 220kV power line, and a water pipeline are in close
proximity, as are the international airports at Hurghada and
Luxor.
Qualified person The technical
information contained in this News Release was prepared by Javier
Orduña BSc (hons), MSc, MCSM, DIC, MAIG, SEG(M), Exploration
Manager of Aton Resources Inc. Mr. Orduña is a qualified person
(QP) under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for
Mineral Projects.
For further information regarding Aton Resources
Inc., please visit us at www.atonresources.com or contact:TONNO
VAHKInterim CEOTel: +1 604 318 0390 Email:
info@atonresources.com
Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements Some of the statements contained in this
release are forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking
statements address future events and conditions; by their very
nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual
results in each case could differ materially from those currently
anticipated in such statements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor
its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Appendix A
Hole ID |
Intersection (m) 1 |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (g/t) |
AuEq 2(g/t) |
Comments |
From |
To |
Interval |
HAP-101 |
68 |
96 |
28 |
0.76 |
53.33 |
1.39 |
|
HAP-102 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
NSA, 2m @ 0.18 g/t Au (on hangingwall contact) |
HAP-103 |
87 |
91 |
4 |
0.55 |
7.38 |
0.63 |
|
HAP-104 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
NSA, 1m @ 0.23 g/t Au (on hangingwall contact) |
HAP-105 |
38 |
40 |
2 |
1.21 |
38.80 |
1.66 |
|
and |
59 |
61 |
2 |
0.67 |
12.30 |
0.82 |
|
HAP-106 |
52 |
56 |
4 |
0.83 |
12.40 |
0.97 |
|
HAP-107 |
40 |
56 |
16 |
1.22 |
54.46 |
1.86 |
|
HAP-108 |
35 |
52 |
17 |
0.94 |
30.77 |
1.30 |
|
HAP-109 |
3 |
35 |
32 |
1.43 |
24.09 |
1.72 |
|
HAP-110 |
1 |
23 |
22 |
2.87 |
54.27 |
3.51 |
|
HAP-111 |
0 |
10 |
10 |
1.80 |
132.1 |
3.36 |
|
HAP-112 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
5.55 |
156.6 |
7.40 |
|
HAP-113 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Collared in hangingwall, not mineralised |
HAP-114 |
0 |
20 |
20 |
1.90 |
42.40 |
2.40 |
|
HAP-115 |
0 |
37 |
37 |
2.90 |
68.94 |
3.71 |
|
HAP-116 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
3.07 |
37.07 |
3.51 |
|
HAP-117 |
0 |
11 |
11 |
2.35 |
40.39 |
2.82 |
|
HAP-118 |
0 |
10 |
10 |
1.25 |
29.35 |
1.59 |
|
HAP-119 |
0 |
16 |
16 |
1.86 |
27.57 |
2.18 |
|
HAP-120 |
1 |
31 |
30 |
1.06 |
21.93 |
1.32 |
|
HAP-121 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
No mineralisation |
HAP-122 |
16 |
27 |
11 |
1.12 |
24.02 |
1.40 |
|
HAP-123 |
0 |
19 |
19 |
0.57 |
17.06 |
0.77 |
|
HAP-124 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
1.33 |
93.70 |
2.43 |
|
HAP-125 |
1 |
7 |
6 |
1.27 |
85.50 |
2.28 |
0-1m: NSR |
HAP-126 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
No mineralisation - rhyolite dyke |
HAP-127 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0.99 |
15.80 |
1.17 |
Rhyolite dyke from 3m |
HAP-128 |
13 |
16 |
3 |
0.61 |
3.77 |
0.65 |
0-13m: rhyolite dyke |
HAP-129 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Rhyolite dyke from surface, 0-1m: 1.19 g/t Au |
HAP-130 |
0 |
35 |
35 |
0.99 |
29.41 |
1.34 |
|
HAP-131 |
17 |
34 |
17 |
1.26 |
98.35 |
2.42 |
|
and |
41 |
51 |
10 |
0.95 |
17.41 |
1.15 |
|
HAP-132 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
NSA > 0.79 g/t Au |
HAP-133 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
NSA > 0.69 g/t Au (possibly did not intersect hangingwall?) |
HAP-134 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
NSA (possibly did not intersect hangingwall?) |
HAP-135 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
NSA (possibly did not intersect hangingwall?) |
Notes: 1) Intersections
calculated at a nominal cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t AuEq in runs of
continuous
mineralisation 2) Gold
equivalent, AuEq, is calculated at a ratio of 85:1 Au:Ag (ie. 1 g/t
Au = 85 g/t Ag) |
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79a44ba0-67d0-44c0-8ccd-9b315d7e4f19
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eef2ea1d-defb-4912-a366-407060de6c4c
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1d1b7d60-a6d8-4066-bfd0-b690467860aa
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