VANCOUVER, Aug. 23, 2018 - Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) (“Aton” or the “Company") is pleased to provide investors with an update on exploration activities at the Rodruin prospect at the Company’s 100% owned Abu Marawat Concession (“Abu Marawat” or the “Concession”), located in the Eastern Desert of Egypt.
| | Schematic geological plan of the Aladdin’s Hill area, showing the location of drill access roads, drill pads and channel sample profiles ROC-002 to ROC-009 | |
| | The South Ridge at Rodruin, viewed from the northwest, showing drill access roads and pads, and the location of channel sample profile ROC-009 | |
| | Abu Marawat regional geology, showing the location of the Rodruin prospect | |
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Highlights:
- Channel sampling of drill access road cuttings and pads, currently under construction ahead of the upcoming RC drilling programme, is ongoing at Rodruin;
- Channel sample profile ROC-009 has returned a mineralised intersection of 39m @ 3.62 g/t Au and 5.44% Zn, and was mineralised along its whole length. The presence of extensive cover suggests the potential for more extensive subcropping mineralisation at Rodruin than has been previously identified at surface;
- Capital Drilling have now mobilised all their equipment to site ahead of the drilling programme, which is now scheduled to start on September 27, 2018.
“This is another exciting set of new assay results to add to the Company’s recent successes. It is anticipated that the initial drilling at Rodruin will continue to add value to shareholders,” said Mark Campbell, President and CEO. “These results add to the substantial potential at Rodruin for the discovery of a significant gold deposit, given the extraordinary number of high grade gold mineralised showings in the immediate area. Each regional prospecting programme at Abu Marawat conducted over the last two years has returned with further evidence of widespread precious metal mineralisation in the Concession, while Rodruin has become our primary exploration focus. While conclusions as to the economic potential of the Rodruin prospect obviously cannot be drawn from the initial work, the results are certainly encouraging given our strategy for Rodruin as a whole; to identify a high grade gold deposit potentially suitable for early development at low capital cost. I am also very pleased to advise that our aggressive drilling program at Rodruin will commence next week.”
Channel sampling at Rodruin
During the ongoing drill access road construction works a programme of surface channel sampling to test potential mineralisation exposed in the road cuttings was commenced. To date 16 channel profiles have been sampled (ROC-002 to ROC-017). For full details of sampling procedures please refer to the news release dated August 7, 2018. Samples from the channel sampling programme were crushed to -4mm at the Company’s onsite sample preparation facility at Hamama, with c. 500g splits shipped to ALS Minerals at Rosia Montana, Romania for analysis. Samples were analysed for gold by fire assay using analytical code Au-AA23; and silver, copper, lead and zinc with an aqua regia digest followed by an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish (analytical code AA45). High grade gold samples (>10 g/t Au) were re-analysed using analytical code Au-AA25; and high grade Ag and base metal samples (Ag >100 g/t, and Cu, Pb, and Zn >10,000ppm or >1%) were routinely re-analysed using the ore grade technique AA46.
The first 7 profiles ROC-002 to ROC-008 (see Figure 1) in the Aladdin’s Hill area were all mineralised with gold and zinc (see news release dated August 7, 2018), and returned significant intersections including 25.5 m @ 4.74 g/t Au (profile ROC-004). Further assay results will be released as they become available.
Figure 1: Schematic geological plan of the Aladdin’s Hill area, showing the location of drill access roads, drill pads and channel sample profiles ROC-002 to ROC-009 is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a56a198-2503-4ff9-806f-0a4e419c555e.
Figure 2: The South Ridge at Rodruin, viewed from the northwest, showing drill access roads and pads, and the location of channel sample profile ROC-009 is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/960bb487-066c-4811-abaf-2faa222796d8.
New assay results have now been received from channel profile ROC-009 (see Figures 1 and 2), located to the northeast of Aladdin’s Hill. Using a cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au the whole 39m length of the sampled profile was mineralised, with the profile returning a total mineralised intersection of 39m @ 3.62 g/t Au and 5.44% Zn. The Au-Zn mineralisation is associated with gossanous carbonates and altered slates, as at Aladdin’s Hill. Full intersection assay details are presented in Table 1. Sampling was terminated at the southeastern end of the profile due to cemented scree and talus covering the mineralised bedrock in the sampled road cutting. Cemented scree and talus covers much of the northern flank of the South Ridge, and has been mapped to a vertical thickness of greater than 4 metres in drill pads excavated further along the road from profile ROC-009 (see Figure 2). At the northwestern end of the ROC-009 profile the bedrock was partially obscured by mineralised waste and tailings from ancient workings in the hillside above the sample profile, and sampling was therefore again terminated.
| Profile ID | Length
(m) | From
(m) | To
(m) | Interval
(m) | Au
(g/t) | Ag
(g/t) | Cu
(%) | Pb
(%) | Zn
(%) |
| ROC-009 | 39.0 | 0.0 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 3.62 | 3.97 | 0.37 | 0.08 | 5.44 |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Table 1: Mineralised intersection from channel sample profile ROC-009
Aton is very encouraged by the assay results from channel profile ROC-009, which is located approximately 130m to the northeast of the main ancient workings at Aladdin’s Hill, and believes that there is excellent potential for the development of significant additional mineralisation between these areas. The fact that much of the northern flank of the South Ridge is covered by cemented scree and talus is potentially very significant, as this cover is likely to mask previously unidentified subcropping mineralisation.
Figure 3: Abu Marawat regional geology, showing the location of the Rodruin prospect is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67e20cf6-c90e-460a-9a23-41feffe0ef8b.
Rodruin
The Rodruin prospect was discovered in December 2017 by Aton geologists (see news release dated December 14, 2017), and is located approximately 18km east of the Company’s Hamama West mineral deposit (see Figure 3). Field mapping and sampling has indicated the presence of ancient mine workings and extensive gold mineralisation over an area of at least 700m x 400m at surface. Abundant visible gold has been and continues to be identified in hand specimens from surface outcrops, and ancient dumps and underground workings, with individual selective grab samples assaying up to 321 g/t Au. The main series of extensive ancient underground workings in the Aladdin’s Hill area (see Figure 1) has also been sampled to a depth of approximately 40m below ground level, indicating continuation of the surface mineralisation at depth (see news releases dated February 6, 2018, March 5, 2018 and April 16, 2018).
Construction of the initial drill access roads and pads in the Aladdin’s Hill area has now largely been completed, ahead of the upcoming reverse circulation percussion (“RC”) drill programme. Construction of further drill access roads and pads to access other mineralised zones is continuing. Capital Drilling’s track-mounted Gemrok MP-1000 multi-purpose rig, which is capable of both RC and diamond drilling, has arrived onsite, and Capital have now mobilised all ancillary equipment and consumables to the Rodruin camp (see news release dated August 21, 2018). Aton now anticipate that drilling will commence on 27 August, 2018. The first phase of drilling is planned to consist of approximately 4,000 metres of RC drilling, and will primarily test the main zone of ancient workings and mapped mineralisation in the Aladdin’s Hill area, and is expected to take about 6 weeks to complete. The first assay results are expected in the second half of September 2018.
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 200km north of Centamin’s Sukari gold mine. Aton has identified a 40km long gold mineralised trend at Abu Marawat, anchored by the Hamama deposit in the west and the Abu Marawat deposit in the east, containing numerous gold exploration targets, including three historic British mines. Aton has identified several distinct geological trends within Abu Marawat, which display potential for the development of RIRG and orogenic gold mineralisation, VMS precious and base metal mineralisation, and epithermal-IOCG precious and base metal mineralisation. Abu Marawat is over 738km2 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.
Qualified Person
The technical information contained in this News Release was prepared by Javier Orduña BSc (hons), MSc, MCSM, DIC, MAIG, SEG(M), FGS, 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:
Mark Campbell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Tel: +202-27356548
Email: mcampbell@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.
