Spiral Pit zone at Rodruin, from surface
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aton drills 20m @ 5.36 g/t gold in first drill holes at the
Spiral Pit zone at Rodruin, from surface
Vancouver, December 10, 2018: Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) (“Aton” or the “Company") is very pleased
to provide investors with a further update on the now completed Phase 1 reverse circulation percussion (“RC”)
drilling programme at its advanced Rodruin prospect , within the Company’s 100% owned Abu Marawat
Concession (“Abu Marawat” or the “Concession”), located in the Eastern Desert of Egypt.
Highlights:
• Final assay results have now been received from a further 1 2 drill holes, ROP-018 to ROP-029, drilled
to the north of the main ancient workings at Aladdin’s Hill, and also at the Spiral Pit zone and from the
Central Valley (see Figure 1);
• Drill hole ROP-029 at the Spiral Pit zone (“SPZ”) 350m southeast of Aladdin’s Hill, was mineralised from
surface, returning an intersection of 20m @ 5.36 g/t Au and 15.9 g/t Ag;
• T he other 3 holes completed at the SPZ all intersected mineralisation from surface, including intercepts
of 23m @ 2.49 g/t Au and 24.2 g/t Ag (hole ROP-026), 8m @ 2.03 g/t Au and 5.9 g/t Ag (hole ROP-
027), and 5m @ 3.71 g/t Au, 14.4 g/t Ag and 3.82% Zn (hole ROP-028);
• All 10 holes completed to their planned depths continued to intersect near-surface mineralisation. Other
mineralised intercepts included 4m @ 6.71 g/t Au, 7.9 g/t Ag and 0.70% Zn, from 1m depth (hole ROP-
018, Aladdin’s Hill area), 12m @ 1.63 g/t Au, 5.3 g/t Ag and 0.66% Zn , from 4 m (hole ROP -020,
Aladdin’s Hill area), and 32m @ 0.92 g/t Au and 7.0 g/t Ag, from 11m (hole ROP-024, drilled from the
Central Valley).
“We are again very pleased with the latest set of assay results from our Phase 1 drilling programme at Rodruin
which continue to show the area’s potent ial” said Mark Campbell, President and CEO. “These results again
confirm the development of gold- silver-zinc mineralisation over a wide area of the South Ridge at Rodruin,
both at and near to surface. The confirmation of high-grade mineralisation from surface in our first drill holes
at the Spiral Pit zone is very significant, and gives us great confidence that we will continue to identify zones
of higher grade mineralisation at Rodruin within the overall mineralised area. The aim of the first phase of
drilling at Rodruin was to preliminarily test the mineralisation we have mapped at surface, and these latest
drilling results are certainly confirming the widespread development of gold mineralisation at Rodruin. Next
year we plan to come back and follow up the results from this first phase of drilling on the South Ridge, and
we also intend to start developing drill access to the very high grade veins we have sampled on the North
Ridge, as we look to continue fast-tracking exploration at Rodruin. In the meantime I would like to thank all our
shareholders for their support during 2018, and to wish on behalf of all of our employees , a very Merry
Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to all our shareholders, contractors and suppliers.”
RC drilling at Rodruin
The Phase 1 RC drilling programme at Rodruin has now been completed , with 50 holes having been drilled
for a total of 4,125 metres (see news release dated December 5, 2018). Assay results have now been received
from a further 12 holes, ROP-018 to ROP-029 (see Table 1 for collar details). Full details of the gold mineralised
intervals from these holes are provided in Appendix A, and selected intersections are shown in Table 2. Holes
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ROP-018 to ROP-021 were drilled to the north and northeast of the main ancient workings at Aladdin’s Hill;
holes ROP-022 to ROP-025 were drilled from a pad in the Central Valley to test the lower part of the Central
Buttress zone (“CBZ”), and also under the North Ridge; and holes ROP-026 to ROP-029 were drilled at the
SPZ (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Phase 1 drill hole collar plan of the Rodruin project, showing locations of all holes completed
(road layout as of December 5, 2018)
Hole ID Collar co-ordinates1 Dip Grid
Azimuth
EOH
depth (m) Comments
X Y Z
ROP-018 552362 2913075 768 -55 185 118 Aladdin’s Hill area
ROP-019 552366 2913074 768 -55 160 5 Aladdin’s Hill area
ROP-020 552362 2913075 768 -55 160 140 Aladdin’s Hill area
ROP-021 552405 2913055 762 -55 185 100 Aladdin’s Hill area
ROP-022 552693 2913022 719 -55 180 15 Central Valley - CBZ
ROP-023 552693 2913027 719 -60 180 125 Central Valley - CBZ
ROP-024 552691 2913023 718 -55 215 70 Central Valley - CBZ
ROP-025 552691 2913023 718 -55 45 200 Central Valley - North Ridge
ROP-026 552659 2912829 785 -55 20 105 Spiral Pit zone
ROP-027 552659 2912829 785 -75 20 38 Spiral Pit zone
ROP-028 552662 2912833 785 -55 340 35 Spiral Pit zone
ROP-029 552662 2912833 785 -55 84 50 Spiral Pit zone
Notes:
1) All collar co-ordinates are estimated (handheld GPS), accurate survey pickup is pending
2) All co-ordinates are UTM (WGS84) Zone 36R
Table 1: Collar details of RC drill holes ROP-018 to ROP-029
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Figure 2: Fisheye view looking to the south, of the drill rig setting up at the Spiral Pit zone (note sharp
fault contact in pad between red mineralised gossan and grey-green unmineralised metasediments)
Hole ID Length
(m)
Intersection (m) 1 Au
(g/t)
Ag
(g/t)
Zn
(%) Comments
From To Interval
ROP-018 118 1 5 4 6.71 7.9 0.70 Aladdin’s Hill area
ROP-019 5 - - - - - - Not sampled, abandoned after
5m
ROP-020
140 4 16 12 2 1.63 5.3 0.66 Aladdin’s Hill area
and 46 70 24 2 0.68 5.7 0.24
and 91 116 25 2 0.42 5.8 0.55
ROP-021 100 15 23 8 2 0.66 4.9 0.33 Aladdin’s Hill area
ROP-022 15 - - - - - - Hole abandoned at 15m
ROP-023 125 22 41 19 2 0.49 1.7 0.09 Drilled from the Central Valley,
under the CBZ
ROP-024 70 11 43 32 0.92 7.0 0.21 Drilled from the Central Valley,
under the CBZ
ROP-025 200 76 80 4 1.60 21.1 0.08 Drilled from the Central Valley,
under the North Ridge
ROP-026
105 0 23 23 2.49 24.2 0.03 Spiral Pit zone
and 30 36 6 2.05 14.0 0.48
ROP-027 38 0 8 8 2.03 5.9 0.23 Spiral Pit zone
ROP-028 35 0 5 5 3.71 14.4 3.82 Spiral Pit zone, fault at 5m
ROP-029
50 0 20 20 5.36 15.9 0.70 Spiral Pit zone, void/workings
from 12-15m. and 24 29 5 0.82 15.7 0.27
Notes:
1) Intersections calculated at a nominal cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t Au
2) As indicated, intersections calculated at a nominal cutoff grade of 0.3 g/t Au in runs of continuous mineralisation
Table 2: Selected gold mineralised intersections from drill holes ROP-018 to ROP-029
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Aladdin’s Hill (north)
Drill holes ROP- 018 to ROP -021 were drilled to the north and northeast of the main zone of ancient mine
workings on the high- grade phyllic -hosted mineralisation at Aladdin’s Hill (see Figure 3, and news release
dated October 1, 2018). Hole ROP-019 was abandoned at 5m after intersecting ancient workings.
Hole ROP-018 intersected 4m @ 6.71 g/t Au from 1m depth (see Table 1 and Appendix A), in gossanous
carbonate rocks, as well as 10m @ 0.88 g/t Au from 40m, in carbonates on the contact with metasediments.
Hole ROP-020 intersected 12m @ 1.63 g/t Au from 4m depth, in weathered and gossanous carbonate rocks.
ROP-020 also intersected wider lower grade zones including 24m @ 0.68 g/t Au from 46m, in weathered
carbonates, and 25m @ 0.42 g/t Au from 91m, associated with weathered, and phyllic altered pyritic slates
and carbonates.
Figure 3: Schematic geological plan of the Aladdin’s Hill area, showing the location of drill access
roads and pads, and drill holes ROP-018 to ROP-021
Central Valley
Drill holes ROP-022 to ROP-025, were drilled from a single pad in the Central Valley (see Figure 4). 3 of the
holes, ROP-022 to ROP -024, were drilled to the south and southwest to test gossanous slates and
mineralisation exposed on the lower CBZ . Hole ROP -025 was drilled to the northeast for stratigraphic
purposes, and to test for possible carbonate-hosted mineralisation under the North Ridge. Drill hole ROP-022
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was abandoned after hitting a surprisingly large >5m wide void at 15m, presumed to be related to ancient
underground workings.
Hole ROP-024 intersected a wide zone of mineralisation, returning an intersection of 32m @ 0.92 g/t Au from
11m, associated with weathered and sometimes gossanous carbonates. Hole ROP -023 intersected a similar
but lower grade zone of 19m @ 0.49 g/t Au from 22m , also associated with weathered and gossanous
carbonates.
Hole ROP-025 collared to the northeast under the North Ridge intersected several narrow zones of Au- Ag
mineralisation associated with contacts between weathered and gossanous carbonate units and slates or
metasediments. These zones included 4m @ 1.60 g/t Au and 21.1 g/t Ag , from 76m depth, and probably
represent depth extensions of zones exploited in ancient workings higher on the steep slopes of the North
Ridge. Hole ROP-025 was completed in an unmineralised sequence of intercalated altered and pyritic slates
and greywackes.
Figure 4: Schematic geological plan of the Central Valley and lower CBZ areas, showing the location
of drill access roads and pads, and drill holes ROP-022 to ROP-025
Spiral Pit zone
Holes ROP-026 to ROP -027 were collared from a single pad beneath the ancient Spiral Pit workings (see
Figures 2 and 5) at the SPZ. There is only limited access in this area, due to the very steep nature of the
southern flank of the carbonate-capped South Ridge (see Figure 2). Work is ongoing on the northern flank of
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the ridge, east of the Spiral Pit underground workings, to put in further drill positions, and to link up access to
the CBZ. The restricted access allowed only limited and partial testing of the SPZ from this position, to date.
All 4 drill holes from this location were collared in reddish to brown gossanous mineralisation, clearly exposed
on the eastern side of a north-south striking fault which controls the ancient workings at the Spiral Pit (see
Figure 2). All the holes intersected good mineralisation from surface. The SPZ is structurally complex and
represents a potential structural analogue to the Aladdin’s Hill area, which hosts very high-grade mineralisation
(eg. ROP-003: 36m @ 12.47 g/t Au, see news release dated October 1, 2018). The relationship between the
gossanous mineralisation exposed at the SPZ and high on the CBZ (see Figure 5) is currently unresolved.
While there are presumed to be structural offsets between these two zones, it is also possible that the
mineralisation between the SPZ and the CBZ is contiguous, and further gossanous mineralisation is being
exposed in the high road currently being developed to the east of the Spiral Pit (see Figure 5).
Figure 5: Schematic geological plan of the SPZ and upper CBZ areas, showing the location of drill
access roads and pads, and drill holes ROP-026 to ROP-029
Holes ROP-026 and ROP-027 were both drilled on an azimuth of 020° , and intersected 23m @ 2.49 g/t Au
and 24.2 g/t Ag , and 8m @ 2.03 g/t Au and 5.9 g/t Ag , respectively, from surface. Mineralisation remains
open to the north along this fence of 2 holes. Hole ROP -028 was collared towards the northwest and
intersected 5m @ 3.71 g/t Au, 14.4 g/t Ag and 3.82% Zn before passing through the north-south striking fault,
and into unmineralised metasediments (see Figures 2 and 5). The mineralisation at the SPZ dips to the north
and is closed off by the fault to the west, where it is currently exposed.
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Hole ROP-029 was collared towards the east, pass ing through ancient workings between 12- 15m down the
hole, and returned a high-grade intercept of 20m @ 5.36 g/t Au, 15.9 g/t Ag and 0.70% Zn from surface. The
mineralisation in this hole is open to the north and the east at surface, and there is also a lower mineralised
zone which returned an intersection of 5m @ 0.82 g/t Au and 15.7 g/t Ag from 24m depth. The mineralisation
at the SPZ is structurally controlled and is again largely hosted by gossanous carbonate rocks, which have
only limited exposure at surface.
Discussion
The results from the first holes testing the lower part of the CBZ from the Central Valley, and especially at the
SPZ, are very encouraging and confirm for the first time in drilling the wide r distribution of Au- Ag-Zn
mineralisation at Rodruin away from the initially tested Aladdin’s Hill area. The intersection of 20m @ 5.36 g/t
Au returned from hole ROP -029 at the SPZ appears to confirm Aton’s interpretation that there are additional
high-grade zones in the overall Rodruin prospect area. This latest tranche of assay results confirms the
presence of near-surface mineralisation over a wide area of the South Ridge at Rodruin.
Further good mineralisation has been logged in drill holes ROP-31 to ROP-34, on the upper CBZ, to depths of
between 50- 70m from surface, associated with gossanous carbonates similar to those drilled at the SPZ .
Gossanous carbonates have also been intersected in several holes testing the GF Zone, and lower on the
CBZ (see Figures 1 and 5); and deep base metal sulphide mineralisation has been intersected in hole ROP -
050, similar to that seen in hole ROP-017 which returned an intersection of 163m @ 0.90 g/t Au from surface.
Assay results for all these holes remain pending, and it is now anticipated that the next tranche of assay results
will be available for release early in January 2019.
The Company is satisfied with the completion of the Phase 1 RC programme at Rodruin, which was designed
to preliminarily test the overall prospectivity of the South Ridge by drill testing mineralisation mapped at surface.
The latest drilling results continue to confirm that near-surface mineralisation is distributed over a wide area of
the South Ridge at Rodruin, and within the overall spread of the mineralisation there are higher grade zones
and shoots, which may in some places be coarse gold- bearing and carry very high grades , such as those
intersected in hole ROP-003. The intersection of sulphide-hosted mineralisation at depth continues to indicate
potential for the identification of a significant body of primary hypogene mineralisation at Rodruin.
Aton plans to continue construction of access roads and drilling positions, ahead of the second phase of drilling,
which is planned to start in early 2019, to follow up on the successful Phase 1 programme. The Company will
also look to develop a road onto the north side of the North Ridge to provide access to the very high grade
veins sampled at surface during the first phase of surface sampling, f or drill testing. These quartz -sulphide
veins returned assays including 321 g/t Au (see news release dated February 6, 2018). The terrain on the
North Ridge is extremely rugged, and it is likely that this work will take several months to complete.
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. 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. Mineralisation is associated with a sequence
of carbonate and metasedimentary slate and greywacke rock types. Abundant visible gold has been 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 ancient underground workings in the
Aladdin’s Hill area has been sampled to 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),
and drilling has now confirmed the presence of high grade gold mineralisation with individual samples returning
assays of up to 221 g/t Au over metre intervals (see news release dated October 1, 2018). Drilling results
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released to date from Rodruin include intersections of 36m @ 12.47 g/t Au from 5m (hole ROP-003, see news
release dated October 1, 2018), and 163m @ 0.90 g/t Au from surface (hole ROP-017, see news release dated
November 12, 2018).
Sampling and analytical procedures
Drill holes were drilled at 140mm diameter, and the bulk percussion chip samples were collected directly into
large plastic bags from the cyclone every metre, numbered with the hole number and hole depths by the drill
crew, and laid out sequentially at the drill site. RC chips were logged onsite by a senior Aton geologist. 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 reject material from this initial bulk split was r e-bagged, labelled and tagged, and the
bulk reject samples will be stored and retained on site at Rodruin. 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 selected for assay were riffle split onsite,
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. The laboratory splits were allocated new sample numbers. QAQC samples
were inserted into the sample runs dispatched to the assay laboratory at a nominal rate of 1 duplicate sample
for every 10 drill samples, 1 blank sample every 10 samples, and 1 standard sample of a certified reference
material every 40 samples. Reject material from the 1m samples , after the laboratory split had been taken,
and any unused 1m splits will be retained at the Company’s Hamama facility for future reference purposes, as
and when required.
The selected c. 250-500g split samples were shipped 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 silver, copper, lead and zinc with an aqua regia digest followed by an AAS finish (analytical
code AA45). High grade gold samples (>10 g/t Au) were re-analysed using analytical code Au-AA25 (also fire
assay with an AAS finish). High grade Ag and base metal samples (Ag >100 g/t, and Cu, Pb, and Zn
>10,000ppm or >1%) were re- analysed using the ore grade technique AA46 (also an aqua regia digest
followed by an AAS finish).