Aton Announces the Discovery of High Grade GOLD-Bearing Veins at the WEST Garida Prospect, Including Assays up to 99.6 G/T GOLD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
ATON ANNOUNCES THE DISCOVERY OF HIGH GRADE GOLD-BEARING VEINS AT THE WEST GARIDA
PROSPECT, INCLUDING ASSAYS UP TO 99.6 G/T GOLD
Vancouver, October 17, 2017: Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) (“Aton” or the “Company") is pleased to
provide investors with an update on exploration activities at the West Garida prospect, currently underway
at the Company’s 100% owned Abu Marawat Concession (“Abu Marawat” or the “Concession”), located in
the Eastern Desert of Egypt.
Highlights:
• Field inspection and sampling of the West Garida prospect has led to the identification of at least 6
gold mineralized quartz veins outcropping at surface;
• Initial sampling at West Garida has returned assays up to 99.6 g/t Au from grab samples, and 45.6
g/t Au from channel samples, with abundant visible gold identified from several different
mineralized structures.
“The discovery of another potential high grade gold system at our Abu Marawat Concession is hugely
exciting, given that it follows on from the other great results in the intrusion related belt. These new
discoveries in outcrop reinforce for us the district scale high grade gold potential of our IR belt.” said Mark
Campbell, President and CEO of Aton. “The discovery of gold is always an exciting moment. The history of
successful gold areas with subsequent producing gold mines starts with a surface discovery, a good gold
assay and later exploration leading to the definition of deposits. Aton has now commenced preparations for
diamond drilling in the area to test the down dip extent of the gold mineralization.”
West Garida Prospect
The Wadi Garida prospect is located approximately 3km ENE of the Company’s Hamama West mineral
deposit (see Figure 1), and is easily accessed along the geophysics road constructed earlier this year. West
Garida is located approximately 500m from the western margin of a Younger Granite intrusion, and is along
strike from the Hamama West deposit, located in a stratigraphic sequence that strikes at about 060° - 070°,
and dips to the north at between 70° and 90°. The general geology of the West Garida area is similar to
that at the Hamama West deposit, and is characterized by a sequence of intermediate to felsic volcanic and
pyroclastic rocks that are cut by a number of felsic sub-volcanic intrusive bodies. A younger series of
andesitic dykes is also seen in the general area.
Mineralization at West Garida occurs in shallow dipping, narrow gold-bearing quartz veins, and recent
mapping by Aton geologists has identified the presence of three principle gold bearing veins, Veins #1 to
#3, as well as a further three to four minor veins (see Figure 2). Veins #1 to #5 have all been worked in
ancient times, and there are also extensive ancient superficial workings in colluvium.
Vein #1 is the most easterly of the veins, striking almost due east, dipping to the south at between 8° and
15°, and can be traced along strike for about 120m (see Figure 2). It consists of a fairly clear quartz vein
with sharp margins, and contains pseudomorphs and larger lenses of goethite and hematite after pyrite,
which carry scattered grains of visible gold. The vein is hosted by a very fine grained aphanitic felsic
volcanic rock which is phyllic altered and bleached for about 3m above the vein, the extent of the alteration
below is not seen. The in situ outcrop of the vein is limited and disturbed by ancient workings, but where it
is visible a channel sample taken across the vein (AHA-14745) returned assays of 45.6g/t Au and 22.8g/t
Ag, while a grab sample (AHA-14747) from the altered wallrock returned an assay of 2.33g/t Au.
Figure 1: Abu Marawat regional geology, showing the location of West Garida
Vein #2 is the most laterally extensive at outcrop, it strikes ESE, dips to the south at 10-15° and can be
traced for about 130m along strike (see Figure 2). The vein has sharp margins locally but small stringers of
quartz, sericite and secondary iron oxides penetrate the intensely phyllic altered wallrock for a short
distance. The actual vein is typically less than a metre wide, and consists principally of quartz with a little
accessory pyrite and traces of chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite. The host rock is a very characteristic
quartz porphyry. Several channel samples have been taken across the outcrop of Vein #2 and returned
assays of up to 3.83g/t Au, 41.9 g/t Ag and 1.8% Cu.
Vein #3 is the most intensely worked and although it can be traced for about 70m along strike (see Figure 2)
no complete section is now visible. The mineralized structure appears to consist of a gently westward
dipping shear zone with a wide alteration halo and a parallel quartz vein impregnated with earthy hematite,
sericite and gold; copper minerals are scarce. It appears to dip at between 10° and 15° to the west, and the
total thickness is uncertain, but possibly a metre or more. The vein is hosted mainly by coarse andesitic tuff
breccias. Free gold is locally abundant in both the quartz vein and in the phyllic altered wallrock. The gold
in the wallrock is always very fine grained, mossy and deep yellow while the gold in the vein quartz can be
yellow to white (electrum) and grains can reach 1-2mm. Several channel samples were taken across the
reasonably well exposed and altered shear zone and quartz lenses within it, which returned assays
ranging up to 17.45g/t Au and 22.5g/t Ag (sample AHA-14793). A single grab sample taken from a poorly
exposed vuggy quartz vein, containing abundant visible gold and electrum, returned assays of 99.6g/t Au
and 148 g/t Ag (sample AHA-14795). Channel samples from the altered wallrock adjacent to the vein
assayed up to 5.03 g/t Au (sample AHA-14776).
On the plateau above Vein #3 there are a series of fairly extensive, shallow pits that represent ancient
colluvial workings. These workings contain very little quartz debris and as they occur at a higher elevation
than any of the vein outcrops, this suggests the presence of further mineralization located in the
hangingwall of Vein #3.
Figure 2: Sampling and trench plan of the West Garida project (quartz veins: yellow)
High grade gold mineralization at West Garida occurs in several narrow shallow dipping quartz veins, and
also appears to extend over a distance of several metres at lower grade s into altered wallrock adjacent to
the Au-bearing veins. Representative sampling of the structures is difficult due to disturbance from the
ancient workings, but visible gold is frequently abundant where the mineralised structures can be sampled.
There is also evidence for the presence of additional mineralised veins and structures vertically above, and
in the hangingwall, of the principle veins. 25 samples were collected during the current sampling
programme and assay results are provided in Appendix A.
Due to the proximity of the West Garida prospect to Hamama West, the shallow dip of the structures, and
the potential presence of several zones of high grade mineralisation very close to surface it is anticipated
that the West Garida prospect will be drill tested in the upcoming diamond drilling programme, which will
test some of the regional targets and prospect areas.
Activity update:
• 4 120kg bulk composite samples of oxide and transitional mineralised material from the Hamama
West deposit have been delivered to Wardell Armstrong International in the UK for an extended
metallurgical testwork programme, designed to both confirm the potential to recover gold from
the Hamama West material using conventional heap leach technology and to subsequently
optimize the leach conditions. The testwork programme will include whole ore cyanide leach
testing, coarse ore bottle roll testing, percolation and agglomeration testing, and column leach
testing.
• Further sampling programs have been undertaken over several of the regional prospects during the
summer months, including Sir Bakis, Semna, Abu Gaharish, Bohlog and Massaghat, and results from
these sampling programs are expected to be received shortly.
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 Sukari gold mine. Aton
has identified a 40 km long gold mineralized 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 intrusion related and orogenic gold mineralization, VMS
precious and base metal mineralization, and epithermal-IOCG precious and base metal mineralization. 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 Roderick Cavaney BSc, MSc
(hons), MSc (Mining & Exploration Geology), FAusIMM, SEG, GSA, SME, Vice President, Exploration, of Aton
Resources Inc. Mr. Cavaney 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: +1-936-689-2589
Email: [email protected]
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 – West Garida surface samples, assay data
Sample ID Easting Northing Vein Sample Type Au
(ppm)
Ag
(ppm)
Cu
(ppm)
Pb
(ppm)
Zn
(ppm)
AHA-14745 537255 2914849 #1 Chip channel 45.6 22.8 363 450 602
AHA-14747 537304 2914856 #1 Grab 2.33 1.0 66 15 342
AHA-14748 536828 2915031 #2 Chip channel 0.05 0.7 167 13 140
AHA-14749 536833 2915027 #2 Chip channel 0.07 1.0 6 14 139
AHA-14750 536839 2915023 #2 Chip channel 3.83 16.9 12,050 922 8,440
AHA-14751 536847 2915020 #2 Chip channel 0.12 0.9 22 21 169
AHA-14752 536853 2915015 #2 Chip channel 0.09 4.5 64 23 714
AHA-14753 536863 2915012 #2 Chip channel 0.26 5.9 817 157 501
AHA-14754 536872 2915005 #2 Chip channel 1.23 21.0 238 565 1,350
AHA-14755 536874 2914988 #2 Chip channel 0.03 1.6 9 14 166
AHA-14756 536825 2915074 #3 Chip channel 4.40 18.7 9,900 31 2,340
AHA-14771 536837 2915097 #3 Chip channel 1.27 3.2 68 28 1,300
AHA-14772 536836 2915097 #3 Chip channel 0.20 1.7 12 18 348
AHA-14773 536833 2915098 #3 Chip channel 1.13 3.5 45 17 597
AHA-14774 536833 2915096 #3 Chip channel 0.93 4.2 49 17 468
AHA-14775 536833 2915094 #3 Chip channel 2.02 7.8 125 32 1,750
AHA-14776 536833 2915092 #3 Chip channel 5.03 12.9 437 54 4,030
AHA-14777 536833 2915090 #3 Chip channel 0.17 9.0 141 3 1,230
AHA-14778 536833 2915088 #3 Chip channel 0.49 4.1 248 20 1,430
AHA-14779 536832 2915086 #3 Chip channel 0.58 3.0 31 22 545
AHA-14790 536849 2915013 #2 Chip channel 1.59 23.1 18,050 3,060 3,750
AHA-14791 536846 2915019 #2 Chip channel 3.49 41.9 2,420 2,690 5,730
AHA-14792 536847 2915019 #2 Chip channel 3.57 15.2 928 1,070 2,800
AHA-14793 536825 2915070 #3 Chip channel 17.45 22.5 1,740 97 3,080
AHA-14794 536825 2915075 #3 Chip channel 4.63 11.7 770 38 4,880
AHA-14795 536832 2915086 #3 Grab 99.6 148 408 526 170