FOR IMMEDIAT E RELEASE Aton reports the first results from its diamond drilling programme at the Abu Marawat deposit , including 8.98 g/t Au , 185 g/t Ag, 0.43% Cu and 6.12% Zn over an interval of 3.90 metres
FOR IMMEDIAT E RELEASE
Aton reports the first results from its diamond drilling
programme at the Abu Marawat deposit , including
8.98 g/t Au , 185 g/t Ag, 0.43% Cu and 6.12% Zn over
an interval of 3.90 metres
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, November 7, 2024: Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX -V) (“Aton” or the
“Company") updates investors on the results of the ongoing drilling at the Abu Marawat deposit, located within
the retained exploration areas of the Company’s Abu Marawat Concession (“Abu Marawat” or the
“Concession”) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt.
Highlights:
• To date 35 diamond drill holes have been drilled at Abu Marawat, for a total of 3,381m. All holes have
been drilled horizontally or at shallow angles to test previously undrilled near-surface mineralisation in
an area of steep and mountainous terrain that is hard to access for conventional drilling rigs ;
• Results for the first 14 holes of the programme (AMD-101 to AMD -114) are now available, with
significant high grade polymetallic mineralised intersections including:
• 8.98 g/t Au, 185 g/t Ag, 11.16 g/t AuEq, 0 .43% Cu, 0.23% Pb and 6.12% Zn over a 3.90m
interval, from 82.10m downhole depth, from hole AMD-110;
• 9.57 g/t Au, 92.9 g/t Ag, 10.66 g/t AuEq and 0.52% Cu over a 3.90 m interval, from 24.20m
downhole depth (hole AMD-107);
• 6.24 g/t Au, 203 g/t Ag, 8.63 g/t AuEq, 0.30% Cu, 0.10% Pb and 4.81% Zn over a 2.60 m
interval, from 97.20m downhole depth (hole AMD-111);
• 3.15 g/t Au, 172 g/t Ag, 5.17 g/t AuEq, 0.50% Cu, 0.23% Pb and 4.69% Zn over a 3.15 m
interval, from 82.50m downhole depth (hole AMD-112).
“I am pleased to announce these very encouraging first results from our new diamond drilling programme, the
first new drilling that Aton has carried out at Abu Marawat since 2011 ” said Tonno Vahk, CEO. “This new
drilling programme has been designed to test areas of previously undrilled mineralisation at Abu Marawat that
lie outside or on the southern margins of the 2012 maiden resource. The primary objective of the new drilling
programme is to upgrade the mineral resources at the Abu Marawat deposit to indicated category . This is an
integral part of the l onger term plan to bring the retained exploration areas into the exploitation lease, and
ultimately leading to the development of multiple gold mining operations on the Concession including the
Hamama West, Rodruin and Semna deposits, as well as Abu Marawat. In Egypt the Company continues to
make steady progress with our partners the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority towards the initial
development of the Hamama West 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 NI 43‐101
compliant 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, 2017), 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, of
which 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 Central Vein zone (“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 50m 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 mineralisation at Abu Marawat comprises a series of steep to near vertical finely brecciated quartz-iron-
oxide±sulphide “veins”. At surface the Fin Vein and CVZ are expressed by quartz -rich gossans, and all the
larger structures display development of quartz-sericite-hematite±carbonate wallrock alteration in outcrop. The
main ore minerals present are sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, electrum, gold, and a number of gold and silver
tellurides such as petzite and hessite. The gangue minerals comprise quartz, limonite, ankerite, pyrite,
magnetite and hematite. Close to the surface the carbonate minerals have been leached, and the sulphides
are largely replaced by hemimorphite, willemite, chrysocolla, malachite, limonite and hematite. In the oxidised
material, the gold occurs as minute free grains in limonite or malachite. In the fresh sulphide mineralisation
gold is associated with tellurides and sphalerite.
To the north Abu Marawat is 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 (listwaenites) is thought to
represent a significant geological terrane boundary (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Geology plan of the Abu Marawat area, showing the location of pre-2024 Aton drill holes
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 multiple, subparallel veins to the east and to the west of the CVZ and the Fin Vein,
such as the J Vein and the JVZ structure that are currently largely undrilled, with the mineralised system at
Abu Marawat remaining open both laterally and at depth.
Abu Marawat diamond drilling programme
The current diamond drill programme started at the beginning of June 2024, and represents the first significant
new fieldwork that Aton has carried out at Abu Marawat since 2011. To date 35 diamond drill holes (holes
AMD-101 to AMD-135) have been completed, for a total of 3,381m. All holes have been drilled horizontally or
at shallow angles using Energold’s Global Drilling ID500 -G track -mounted rig (see news release dated
November 23, 2021) previously used to drill at the Rodruin deposit. The programme has been designed to test
previously undrilled near-surface mineralisation at the southern extent of the Abu Marawat deposit in an area
of steep and mountainous terrain that is hard to access for conventional drilling rigs (Figure 3) .
Figure 3: Drilling on hole AMD-101 at Abu Marawat (note the drill rig at the end of the road in the centre
of the image, and ancient workings on the J Vein above and to the right of the drill access road)
Hole ID
Collar co-ordinates 1,2 EOH
depth (m) Dip Grid
azimuth Target
X Y Z
AMD-101 563675 2932825 659 37.9 0.1 64.6 J Vein
AMD-102 563677 2932823 659 141.0 -13.8 99.5 J Vein, JVZ structure
AMD-103 563700 2932801 658 21.3 0.0 39.7 J Vein
AMD-104 563701 2932791 658 111.7 0.2 91.3 J Vein, JVZ structure
AMD-105 563701 2932793 654 150.7 -20.3 90.4 J Vein, JVZ structure
AMD-106 563709 2932764 653 117.3 0.2 87.0 J Vein, JVZ structure
AMD-107 563709 2932764 653 119.6 -31.3 85.5 J Vein, JVZ structure
AMD-108 563724 2932745 653 149.5 -0.8 87.7 J Vein, JVZ structure, Fin Vein
AMD-109 563724 2932745 653 151.0 -30.7 83.6 J Vein, JVZ structure
AMD-110 563906 2932870 660 115.3 -0.2 270.8 Fin Vein
AMD-111 563906 2932870 660 123.0 -31.4 274.7 Fin Vein
AMD-112 563906 2932876 660 112.6 -0.4 278.8 Fin Vein
AMD-113 563863 2932850 672 57.6 0.0 277.8 Fin Vein
AMD-114 563863 2932850 672 63.9 -31.6 279.2 Fin Vein
Notes:
1) All co-ordinates are UTM (WGS84) Zone 36R
2) Collars have all been surveyed using handheld GPS
3) All drill holes were downhole surveyed using a magnetic survey tool
Table 1: Abu Marawat diamond drill hole collar details
Figure 4: Geology and drill hole collar plan of the southern extent of the Abu Marawat deposit
The assay results are now available for the first 14 holes of the programme, AMD -101 to AMD -114, which
were designed to test the mapped J and Fin Veins, and the JVZ structure (Figure 4). The collar details of these
holes are provided in Table 1. In this area the JVZ structure obliquely crosses the summit ridge line of the Abu
Marawat hill (seen on the right of Figure 3), with the J Vein outcropping west of the ridge line, and the Fin Vein
outcropping to the east. Due to the steep topography there has been no previous drilling carried out in this
area to test the outcropping near surface mineralisation.
The first 9 holes of the new diamond drilling programme at Abu Marawat , AMD -101 to AMD -109, were
designed to test the J Vein and JVZ structures which have been mapped at surface, from the west side of the
main Abu Marawat hill (Figure 4). The J Vein and JVZ structure have returned good gold grades from surface
grab and channel sampling.
Holes AMD-110 to AMD-114 were drilled from the east side on westerly azimuths and were primarily designed
to test the Fin Vein (Figure 4). Hole AMD-108 was also extended far enough from the western side to intersect
the Fin Vein.
Discussion of results
All intersection details from the programme are provided in Appendix A, with selected intersections shown in
Table 2 below.
Hole ID
Intersection (m) Au
(g/t)
Ag
(g/t)
AuEq
(g/t) 1
Cu
(%)
Pb
(%)
Zn
(%) Comments
From To Interval
AMD-107 24.20 28.10 3.90 9.57 92.9 10.66 0.52 0.10 0.29 Shallow cross veins?
AMD-108 132.50 135.00 2.50 2.79 102 3.99 0.40 0.48 5.19 Fin Vein
AMD-110 82.10 86.00 3.90 8.98 185 11.16 0.43 0.23 6.12 Fin Vein
AMD-111 97.20 99.80 2.60 6.24 203 8.63 0.30 0.10 4.81 Fin Vein
AMD-112 82.85 86.00 3.15 3.15 172 5.17 0.50 0.23 4.69 Fin Vein
AMD-113 41.80 44.60 2.80 3.16 132 4.71 0.29 0.13 4.60 Fin Vein
AMD-114 47.36 49.97 2.61 2.50 192 4.76 0.43 0.29 5.61 Fin Vein
Notes:
1) Gold equivalent calculated using Au and Ag only, with a Au:Ag ratio of 85
Table 2: Selected intersections from the Abu Marawat diamond drilling programme
Figure 5: Uncut drill core from hole AMD-108, 130.97m to 136.61m depth, showing the Fin
Vein mineralised zone between 132.50m and 135.00m
Significant polymetallic mineralised intersections from the first 14 holes of the programme included 8.98 g/t
Au, 185 g/t Ag, 11.16 g/t gold equivalent (“AuEq”, calculated using Au and Ag only, with a Au:Ag ratio of 85),
0.43% Cu, 0.23% Pb and 6.12% Zn over a 3.90m interval , from 82.10m downhole depth, from hole AMD -
110; 6.24 g/t Au, 203 g/t Ag, 8.63 g/t AuEq, 0.30% Cu, 0.10% Pb and 4.81% Zn over a 2.60m interval, from
97.20m downhole depth (hole AMD -111); and 3.15 g/t Au, 172 g/t Ag, 5.17 g/t AuEq, 0.50% Cu, 0.23% Pb
and 4.69% Zn over a 3.15m interval, from 82.50m downhole depth (hole AMD-112), all from the Fin Vein.
Holes AMD-108 and AMD-110 to AMD-114 all returned fairly consistent polymetallic intersections from the Fin
Vein, varying in width from 2.5m to 3.9m (averaging 2.9m). Drilled widths approximate to the true width of the
Fin Vein mineralised zone. Gold grades over these mineralised intersections averaged 4.47 g/t Au, silver
grades averaged 164 g/t Ag, with gold equivalent averaging 6.40 g/t AuEq, copper grades averaged 0.39%
Cu, and zinc grades averaged 5.17% Zn.
In outcrop the Fin Vein stands up as distinct positive topographic feature suggesting sharp margins, but in the
drill core its margins are rather cryptic and diffuse (Figure 5). The overall NNW-SSE orientation of the Fin Vein
in outcrop is in part due to frequent sinistral displacement on approximately E-W or NW-SE striking structures
and/or small cross veins (Figure 4). Drilling has shown that the Fin Vein occasionally anastomoses and/or
splits into more than one branch. The drilling to date has also confirmed that in this area the Fin Vein steeply
dips primarily to the east, but is somewhat variable, appearing to roll over to the west in places , and strikes in
an approximately north-south direction. Curiously the Fin Vein is almost devoid of ancient workings suggesting
that its contained gold is not coarse, and not recognised by the miners in ancient times. The Fin Vein appears
to be replacive in origin, and typically displays a granular or brecciated quartz fabric, with a saccharoidal, and
honeycombed or vuggy texture when weathered , caused by the removal of granular carbonate minerals and
the oxidation of sulphides (Figure 5). It is primarily compose d of quartz, carbonates, and iron oxides, as well
as copper, zinc and lead oxide mineral species in the weathered zone.
The J Vein and JVZ structure manifest similarly in outcrop to the Fin Vein, but are somewhat more
discontinuous, and also f requently anastomose into multiple structures and “veins”. There are far more
significant ancient workings on the J Vein than on the Fin Vein (Figure 3). Surface sampling carried out prior
to the start of the drilling programme returned assays from selective grab samples on the J Vein including
15.70 g/t Au, 157 g/t Ag, 0.75% Cu and 1.11% Zn (sample AHA-46265, 563698E-2932821N) and 12.10 g/t
Au, 301 g/t Ag, and 1.54% Pb (sample AHA-46190, 563715E-2932780N). Selective grab sampling on the
JVZ structure returned assays including 23.70 g/t Au, 30.6 g/t A g and 0.44% Cu (sample AHA -46195,
563768E-2932789N).
Drill intersections on both the J Vein and the JVZ structure however were sporadic, generally narrow and low
grade. The J Vein returned mineralised intersections including 1.10 g/t Au, 11.2 g/t Ag, and 1.22 g/t AuEq
over a 2.70m interval, from 9.60m downhole depth (hole AMD-103), and 0.84 g/t Au, 15.4 g/t Ag, and 1.01 g/t
AuEq over a 7.30m interval, from 16.40m downhole dept h (hole AMD -106). The JVZ structure returned
mineralised intersections including 11.50 g/t Au, 19.3 g/t Ag, 11.71 g/t AuEq and 5.50% Zn over a 0.70m
interval, from 79.10m downhole depth (hole AMD-105).
A series of discontinuous mineralised structures and veins were mapped between the J Vein and the JVZ
structure, with a shallow (dipping c. 45° to the south) orientation. The distribution and size of these structures
was hard to determine as they were largely covered by loose scree and talus on the steep slopes, but abundant
heavily copper -stained float boulders are evident in this area, and are believed to be sourced from these
shallow structures. These shallow structures may represent mineralised cross-structures between the more
laterally continuous J Vein and JVZ structures, and they returned selective grab sample grades including 12.75
g/t Au, 184 g/t Ag, 1.41% Cu, 0.91% Pb and 17.45% Zn (sample AHA-46288, 563743E-2932758N) and 13.45
g/t Au, 93.6 g/t Ag, 0.48% Cu, 0.43% Pb and 5.58% Zn (sample AHA-46194, 563753E-2932762N). Hole
AMD-107 returned a high grade mineralised intersection of 9.57 g/t Au, 92.9 g/t Ag, 10.66 g/t AuEq and
0.52% Cu over a 3.90m interval, from 24.20m downhole depth, apparently associated with these flat-lying or
shallow structures.
Sampling and analytical procedures
The diamond drill holes were drilled at a combination of either HQ3 size (61.1mm diameter) and/or PQ3 size
(83mm diameter). Core was loaded into metal core boxes by the drill crew under supervision of Aton geologists.
The core was metre marked onsite at the Abu Marawat camp , with basic geotechnical measurements (total
core recovery, solid core recovery, and rock quality designation) undertaken by Aton geologists, as well as
specific gravity measurements. It was also photographed in both wet and dry states at Abu Marawat. The core
was then carefully packed and transported to the Rodruin exploration camp, where it was geologically logged
by senior Aton geologists, and marked up for cutting a nd sampling at the Rodruin core farm. Samples were
typically selected over nominal 1m intervals, but as determined by the logged lithologies. The core was half -
cut by Aton staff at the onsite Rodruin sample preparation facility. After the core had been cut, the relevant cut
intervals were then photographed again.
The split half-core samples were collected and bagged up in cloth bags, weighed and crushed to -4mm onsite,
and split to a nominal c. 500-1,000g sample size. The coarse crushed reject samples are retained onsite at
the Rodruin sample preparation facility.
QAQC samples were inserted into the sample runs at a rate of approximately 1 certified reference material (or
“standard” sample) every 30 samples, 1 blank sample every 15 samples, and 1 duplicate split sample every
15 samples.
The dried, crushed and 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. 100g size, which was shipped on to
ALS Minerals at Rosia Montana, Romania for geochemical analysis. The reject pulp material was returned to
the sample preparation facility at Rodruin, where it is also retained onsite
The 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-GRA21 (also fire assay, 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).