FOR IMMEDIAT E RELEASE Aton reports the first results from its Abu Marawat RC infill drill programme , including 17.13 g/t gold, 307 g/t silver , 0.82% copper and 5.50% zinc over a 9 metre interval
FOR IMMEDIAT E RELEASE
Aton reports the first results from its Abu Marawat RC infill
drill programme , including 17.13 g/t gold, 307 g/t silver ,
0.82% copper and 5.50% zinc over a 9 metre interval
Vancouver, British Columbia, March 26, 2026: Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) (“Aton” or the “Company")
updates investors on the first results from its reverse circulation percussion (“RC”) drilling programme at the
Abu Marawat deposit (”Abu Marawat”), located within the retained exploration areas of the Company’s Abu
Marawat Concession (the “Concession”) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt.
Highlights:
• The results from the first 14 holes of the 2025 RC infill drilling programme at Abu Marawat, AMP-214
to AMP-227 are now available . Further significant high grade polymetallic mineralised intersections
were returned from the Fin Vein, including the following:
• 21.85 g/t Au, 178 g/t Ag, 23.83 g/t AuEq, 0.55% Cu and 5.21% Zn over a 20m interval from
31m downhole depth (hole AMP-225), estimated 5.5m true width;
• 17.13 g/t Au, 307 g/t Ag, 20.54 g/t AuEq, 0.82% Cu and 5.50% Zn over a 9m interval from 77m
downhole depth (hole AMP-218), estimated 6.5m true width;
• 5.48 g/t Au, 60.5 g/t Ag, 6.15 g/t AuEq, 0.36% Cu and 2.07% Zn over a 14m interval from 54m
downhole depth (hole AMP-216), estimated 10m true width;
• 7.74 g/t Au, 109 g/t Ag, 8.96 g/t AuEq, 0.40% Cu and 4.07% Zn over an 8m interval from 48m
downhole depth (hole AMP-223), estimated 3m true width; and
• 7.01 g/t Au, 63.7 g/t Ag, 7.72 g/t AuEq, 0.68% Cu and 3.31% Zn over a 6m interval from 14m
downhole depth (hole AMP-224), estimated 4.5m true width.
“We are pleased to release another set of very strong drill results from the Abu Marawat deposit, and are
particularly pleased with the high grade polymetallic vein mineralisation we continue to inter sect there. The
previously reported metallurgical testwork programme has indicated that we will be able to successfully recover
gold, silver, copper and zinc from the Abu Marawat mineralisation through a combination of conventional CIL,
flotation and SART processing, so the continued delineation of near surface high grade polymetallic
mineralisation is highly encouraging” said Tonno Vahk, Chief Executive Officer . “On other fronts we continue
to push ahead with the development of the Hamama gold mine, with a new programme of metallurgical
testwork currently ongoing in the UK , and we are also looking to appoint heap leach design and FEED
contractors in the coming weeks , for the design and development of the Hamama West starter heap leach
project. Our long -term consultants SLR Consulting and Cube Consulting are also making good progress on
the updated mineral resources and mine design at Hamama, and will soon be switching their focus to updated
and maiden MRE’s at Abu Marawat and Semna as the final drill data becomes available, and we look forward
to restating the mineral resources over the whole of the Abu Marawat Concession later this year, as we push
on towards the development of Egypt’s next gold mine.”
Abu Marawat gold-silver-copper-zinc deposit
The Abu Marawat gold-silver-copper-zinc deposit is located approximately 35km northeast of the Hamama
West deposit and 10km north-northeast of the Semna gold mine project, and is accessed via a well maintained
desert track from the Qena-Safaga highway, approximately 25km to the north (Figure 1). On March 1, 2012
Aton Resources, when formerly named Alexander Nubia International Inc , announced a maiden Inferred
Mineral R esource at Abu Marawat, prepared by Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. , in compliance with the
requirements set out in Canada’s National Instrument 43 ‐101. The resource was subsequently restated in an
updated Technical Report without amendment (see news release dated January 24 , 201 7), and which is
available online at Aton’s website at https://atonresources.com/investors/reports-and-presentations. This
Inferred Mineral Resource was based on 98 diamond drill holes totalling 19,573 metres. 19 of these holes were
drilled by a former property owner, Minex Minerals Egypt, a wholly owned subsidiary of Greenwich Resources
Plc during the late 1980’s, and the remainder were drilled by Aton in 2011. The Inferred Mineral Resource
comprises 2.9 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.75 g/t Au, 29.3 g/t Ag, 0.77% Cu and 1.15% Zn ,
containing 162 thousand ounces of gold, 2.7 million ounces of silver, 49 million lbs of copper, and 73 million
lbs of zinc, and was based on net smelter return (“NSR”) cut‐off grades.
Figure 1: Geology plan of the Abu Marawat Concession, showing the location of the Abu Marawat deposit
The polymetallic mineralisation at Abu Marawat is interpreted as being mesothermal in origin, and occurs in a
series of discrete and roughly parallel N-S to NNW-SSE trending veins and structures, of which the Fin Vein
and the CVZ are the most significant, hosted within a sequence of intensely hydrothermally altered, felsic
metavolcanic rocks (Figure 2). The Fin Vein and the CVZ are about 50-100m apart and have been traced for
at least 800m in surface outcrop and drill holes. Aton’s previous drilling has demonstrated that these structures
extend to at least 200m in depth. The bulk of the Inferred Mineral Resource at the Abu Marawat deposit
encompasses parts of the CVZ and the Fin Vein, but there are also other subparallel mineralised veins to the
east and to the west of the se structures, such as the J Vein, the JVZ structure, and the Valley Vein zone
(Figure 2).
Figure 2: Geology plan of the Abu Marawat area, showing the location of Aton diamond drill holes
The mineralisation at Abu Marawat comprises a series of steep to near vertical finely brecciated quartz-
carbonate-sulphide “veins”. At surface the Fin Vein and the CVZ are expressed by quartz -rich gossans, and
all the larger structures display development of intense wallrock alteration in outcrop. Several of the veins,
notably the CVZ, were mined at surface in ancient times, apparently primarily for copper. The mineralised
system at Abu Marawat currently remains open both laterally and at depth.
Further to the north, the Abu Marawat deposit appears to be truncated by a large W NW-ESE trending fault
postulated to run beneath wadi sediments. To the east a prominent ridge composed of altered ultramafic rocks
is thought to represent a significant geological terrane boundary (Figure 2).
Figure 3: Geology and drill hole collar plan of RC drill holes AMP-214 to AMP-227
Abu Marawat diamond drilling programme
An infill RC drilling programme was completed at Abu Marawat in November 2025, with 71 holes (holes AMP-
214 to AMD-284) drilled for a total of 6,647 metres. The programme was designed to infill previous diamond
drilling, and to provide a sufficient drill density to allow for the estimation of an indicated resource at the Abu
Marawat deposit. Assay results a re now available for the first 14 holes, AMP-214 to AMP-227, which were
mainly designed to test the northern part of the Fin Vein (Figure 3). The collar details of these holes are
provided in Table 1 below.
Hole ID
Collar co-ordinates 1,2 EOH
depth (m) Dip Grid
azimuth Target
X Y Z
AMP-214 563636.1 2932989.6 656.6 85 -44.3 93.3 V Ridge Vein
AMP-215 563728.3 2933025.6 648.8 110 -43.5 272.7 V Ridge Vein
AMP-216 563740.6 2933029.8 649.0 80 -45.7 63.8 Fin Vein
AMP-217 563739.7 2933029.4 649.0 110 -61.4 60.8 Fin Vein
AMP-218 563719.4 2933068.9 640.8 110 -46.2 79.7 Fin Vein
AMP-219 563734.5 2933098.6 639.0 70 -45.5 99.3 Fin Vein
AMP-220 563735.5 2933098.4 639.1 70 -46.3 58.1 Fin Vein
AMP-221 563785.7 2933046.5 660.1 50 -60.1 260.1 Fin Vein
AMP-222 563786.9 2933042.6 660.3 40 -47.0 222.1 Fin Vein
AMP-223 563785.9 2933043.8 660.2 70 -71.0 219.2 Fin Vein
AMP-224 563790.8 2933019.0 666.5 30 -45.5 230.1 Fin Vein
AMP-225 563794.8 2933015.7 667.1 80 -75.5 235.1 Fin Vein
AMP-226 563799.4 2932982.3 675.9 70 -59.2 270.9 Fin Vein
AMP-227 563800.1 2932979.5 675.7 50 -59.8 231.6 Fin Vein
Notes:
1) All co-ordinates are UTM (WGS84) Zone 36R
2) All holes have been RTK surveyed using an eSurvey E800 integrated GNSS base and receiver
3) All drill holes were downhole surveyed using a gyroscopic survey tool
Table 1: Abu Marawat RC drill hole collar details, holes AMP-214 to AMP-227
Discussion of results
All intersection details from holes AMP-214 to AMD-227 are provided in Appendix A, with selected intersections
shown below in Table 1.
Hole ID
Intersection (m) Au
(g/t)
Ag
(g/t)
AuEq
(g/t) 1
Cu
(%)
Pb
(%)
Zn
(%) Comments
From To Interval
AMP-216 54 68 14 5.48 60.5 6.15 0.36 0.04 2.07 Fin Vein (estimated
true width 10m) incl. 57 67 10 7.55 74.6 8.37 0.49 0.06 2.69
AMP-218 77 86 9 17.13 307 20.54 0.82 0.12 5.50 Fin Vein (estimated
true width 6.5m)
AMP-223 48 56 8 7.74 109 8.96 0.40 0.06 4.07 Fin Vein (estimated
true width 3m) incl. 48 53 5 12.14 154 13.85 0.60 0.08 5.76
AMP-224 14 20 6 7.01 63.7 7.72 0.68 0.13 3.31 Fin Vein
AMP-225 31 51 20 21.85 178 23.83 0.55 0.18 5.21 Fin Vein (estimated
true width 5.5m)
AMP-226 27 30 3 4.22 88.9 5.21 1.14 0.07 2.58 Fin Vein
AMP-227 31 33 2 8.13 190 10.24 0.74 0.27 6.10 Fin Vein
Notes:
1) Gold equivalent calculated using Au and Ag only, with a Au:Ag ratio of 90
Table 2: Selected intersections from the Abu Marawat diamond drilling programme,
holes AMP-214 to AMP-227
The initial holes from the RC infill drill programme were designed to test the northern part of the Fin Vein, with
the first 2 holes testing the apparently weakly mineralised V Ridge Vein and the JVZ structure (Figure 3). Only
narrow, weak mineralisation was inter sected in holes AMP-214 and AMP-215 targeting the V Ridge Vein, as
expected.
The Fin Vein was intersected in all holes (AMP-216 to AMP-227) targeting it, at varying widths and grades see
Appendix A). High grade intersections included 21.85 g/t Au, 178 g/t Ag, 23.83 g/t AuEq, 0.55% Cu and
5.21% Zn over a 20m interval (estimated true width of 5.5m) from 31m downhole depth (hole AMP-225), 7.13
g/t Au, 307 g/t Ag, 20.54 g/t AuEq, 0.82% Cu and 5.50% Zn over a 9m interval (estimated true width of
6.5m) from 77m downhole depth (hole AMP-218), and 5.48 g/t Au, 60.5 g/t Ag, 6.15 g/t AuEq, 0.36% Cu and
2.07% Zn over a 14m interval (estimated true width of 10m) from 54m downhole depth (hole AMP-216).
The Intersected mineralisation is typically quite cryptic from the Fin Vein, and is identifiable by the presence of
generally minor but varying amounts of sugary vein quartz and typical green copper oxide mineral staining in
the oxide zone, and an abundance of copper and zinc sulphide minerals (chalcopyrite and sphalerite), as well
as minor galena in the fresh zone (see Figures 4 and 5).
Figure 4: RC drill chips from hole SMP-218, 40-80m (note the mineralised interval between 77-86m)
Figure 5: RC drill chips from hole SMP-225, 20-60m (note the mineralised interval between 31-51m)
Exploration Activity Update
• Aton completed its Phase 3b RC drilling programme at Semna in February 2026, with the drill rig returning
there after the completion of the Abu Marawat programme, with a further 42 holes drilled for a total 4,388
metres (holes SMP-093 to SMP-134). The Phase 3 programme was originally started in January 2025,
with results having been previously reported for the first tranche of holes (Phase 3a, holes SMP -049 to
SMP-092), see news releases dated July 2, 2025 and December 23, 2025. The first results from the
Phase 3b programme will be reported in the coming weeks, when they are available.
• Aton also completed a short Phase 4 diamond drilling programme at Semna in December 2025, consisting
of 8 holes for a total of 406.8 metres drilled . This programme will be reported with the Phase 3b RC
programme.
• After a short pause in the drilling operations at the Concession to coincide with the month of Ramadan a
Phase 5 RC diamond drill programme will commence at Semna in April 2026. An initial 4,000 metres has
been planned.
• A first-pass programme of RC drilling will also commence in April 2026 at the undrilled Bohlog prospect
in the Company’s retained exploration areas, with an initial 4,700 metres planned over a strike length of
over a kilometre at Zones 1 and 2, see news release dated December 4, 2017. Surface trenching at
Bohlog has returned mineralised intervals including 1.57 g/t Au over a 20 metre interval, and 1.65 g/t Au
over a 9 metre interval, see news release dated February 28, 2018.
• Cube Consulting and SLR Consulting are currently finalising mineral resource estimate updates at the
Hamama and Rodruin deposits, ahead of the planned start of production at Hamama West in 2027. Cube
and SLR will also start work on updating the Abu Marawat mineral resource as well as a maiden mineral
resource estimate at Semna, once all the drilling data from programmes completed to date has been
compiled, and geological interpretations of the two deposits have been completed. The Company looks
forward to releasing a new mineral resource statement for the entire Abu Marawat Concession later this
year.
Sampling and analytical procedures
The RC drill holes were drilled at 5 ½” size (138 -140mm diameter), using an Explorac 100 RC drilling rig,
operated by Capital Limited. The rig was equipped with an onboard cone splitter which was set to produce 2
separate 1/8 split samples (“L” – laboratory and “R” – retain) which were collected into cloth bags directly from
the splitter. The remaining c. 75% of the bulk percussion chip samples was collected directly from the cyclone
into pre-written large plastic bags every metre, numbered with the hole num ber and hole depths. The bulk
sample bags were laid out sequentially at the drill site. Between each metre of drilling the cyclone was cleaned
out with compressed air, and the hole was blown clean to reduce the risk of downhole contamination. The
chips were logged on the drill sites by Aton geologists. A representative sample of each metre was washed
and stored in marked plastic chip trays, each containing 20m of samples, photographed, and retained onsite
as a permanent record of the drill hole, with the bulk sample bags being retained at the drill sites.
Each drill hole was pre -allocated sampling intervals, with both 1m split samples over pre-determined target
depths, and selected 4m composite samples being sent for analysis. The entirety of all the holes were sent for
analysis, with 1m split samples sent for analysis from the pre -allocated target depths . 4m composites were
sent for analysis from the non-target depths.
The 1m “L” split samples, weighing approximately 4 -5kg each were transported to the Abu Marawat sample
processing facility, where they were 1/2 riffle split into 2 separate sub -samples, weighing approximately 2 -
2.5kg. The splitter was cleaned with compressed air between each sample. One of these sub -samples was
marked and labelled, and retained at Abu Marawat for storage. A further c. 500-1,000g sub-sample was split
off from the pre-selected 1m target intervals from the “L” bags. QAQC samples were inserted into the 1m split
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 or replicate sample every 15 samples. The
selected 1m split samples were sent to ALS Minerals for analysis.
The 1m sub-samples from the non-target intervals were also combined into 4m composite samples, weighing
approximately 8-10kg. These were thoroughly mixed and homogenised and again riffle split to produce nominal
c. 500-1,000g 4m composite samples at Abu Marawat, and were allocated new sample numbers. These 4m
composite samples were also dispatched to ALS Minerals for analysis. The bulk reject material from the riffle
split 4m composite samples was disposed of. QAQC samples were inserted into the 4m composit e sample
stream at a rate of approximately 1 certified reference material /standard every 60 samples, 1 blank sample
every 30 samples, and 1 field duplicate split sample (“L” bag) or replicate sample (taken from the “R” bag)
every 30 samples.
The “R” bags were retained separately onsite and stored at the Abu Marawat sample storage facility.
The selected 1m split and 4m composite 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. 100g size, which was shipped
on to ALS Minerals at Rosia Montana, Romania for analysis.
All samples were analysed for gold by fire assay (30g charge) with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (“AAS”)
finish (analytical code Au-AA23). Any high grade gold samples (>10 g/t Au) were re-analysed using analytical
code Au-GRA22 (also fire assay, 50g charge, with a gravimetric finish).
Samples were also analysed for silver, copper, lead and zinc using an aqua regia digest followed by an AAS
finish (analytical code AA45). Any high grade silver and base metal samples (Ag >100 g/t, and Cu, Pb or Zn
>10,000ppm or >1%) were re -analysed using the ore grade technique AA46 (also an aqua regia digest
followed by an AAS finish).
Following receipt of the 4m composite assay results, any mineralised intervals were re-submitted for additional
analysis. Additional 1m samples were selected from the mineralised 4m intervals with a further c. 500-1,000g
sub-sample being split off from the retained material from the “L” bags, and again allocated new sample
numbers. QAQC samples were again inserted into th is additional 1m split sample stream at a rate of
approximately 1 certified reference material/standard sample every 30 samples, 1 blank s ample every 15
samples, and 1 field duplicate or replicate sample every 15 samples. Any remaining material from the “L” bags
was again retained onsite at Abu Marawat. These additional 1m split samples were again sent to ALS Minerals
Egypt for sample preparation and on to ALS Romania for gold, silver and copper analysis. The Au-AA23 and
Au-GRA22 methods were again used for gold, and the AA45 and AA46 methods for silver, copper, lead and
zinc.
The reject pulp material from ALS Marsa Alam from all the samples was returned to the sample preparation
facility at Rodruin, where it is also retained onsite.