Aya Gold & Silver Reports April Production as Zgounder Ramp Up Gains Momentum
PRESS RELEASE
Aya Gold & Silver Reports April Production as
Zgounder Ramp Up Gains Momentum
Montreal, Quebec, May 9, 2025 - Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA; OTCQX: AYASF) (“Aya” or the
“Corporation”) is pleased to report continued operational progress at its Zgounder Silver Mine, driven by
a strong mine ramp up, exceptional mill performance, a clear path to improve recovery, and solid April
production.
April Production Metrics
Production Metrics Q1-2024 Q1-2025 April 2025
Silver production oz 366,362 1,068,652 345,550
Tonnage processed kt 81,331 249,743 90,763
Silver recovery % 82 82 80
Mill availability % 96 91 98
Mine production t 106,880 194,661 82,496
Operational Highlights
• Mine ramp-up continues to exceed expectations, with 2,7 50 tonnes per day
(“tpd”) mined in April 2025.
• Mill throughput and availability in April are above expectations, averaging
3,025 tpd at 98% availability.
• Recovery rates have improved in May.
• Clear path to 89% recoveries identified with corrective actions underway ,
focused on stabilizing and optimizing oxygen production.
Key Actions Underway
• Specialized contractor mobilized onsite to restore full capacity of the oxygen
plant, with improvements expected over the coming weeks.
• Direct collaboration was initiated with the oxygen plant equipment supplier, to
fast-track long-term performance enhancements.
• Once the oxygen plant reaches designed capacity, it is expected that
recoveries will improve to reach feasibility study recovery rates.
• Conclusive tests conducted on plant tailings to confirm feasibility study
leaching parameters.
“Our fundamentals are strong, the ramp up is on track, and the results are showing — mine production
is up 64% since January,” said Benoit La Salle, President and CEO. “We’ve seen a recovery improvement
in May, and April’s performance confirms that we’re maximizing throughput, strengthening free cash
flow, and driving down costs. We are pleased to reaffirm our 2025 guidance.”
Outlook
As the ramp-up progresses, April’s solid production marks an important step forward. Our focus is on
attaining consistent performance and delivering sustained recovery improvements at Zgounder.
About Aya Gold & Silver Inc.
Aya Gold & Silver Inc. is a rapidly growing, Canada-based silver producer with operations in the Kingdom
of Morocco.
The only TSX-listed pure silver mining company, Aya operates the high-grade Zgounder Silver Mine and
is exploring its properties along the prospective South-Atlas Fault, several of which have hosted past-
producing mines and historical resources.
Aya’s management team has been focused on maximizing shareholder value by anchoring
sustainability at the heart of its operations, governance, and financial growth plans.
For additional information, please visit Aya’s website at www.ayagoldsilver.com.
Or contact
Benoit La Salle, FCPA, MBA
President & CEO
Alex Ball
VP, Corporate Development & IR
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the
meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”), which reflects management’s
expectations regarding Aya’s future growth and business prospects (including the timing and
development of new deposits and the success of exploration activities) and other opportunities.
Wherever possible, words such as “momentum”, “improve”, “expectation”, “budget”, “expect”, “track”,
“confirm”, “maximize”, “strengthen”, “drive down”, “guidance”, “continue”, “significant”, “increase”,
“confirm”, “growth”, and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”,
“could”, “would”, “might”, “will”, or are “likely” to be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to
identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements in this press release
include, but are not limited to, statements and information with respect to the production, production
capacity, availabilities, throughput, milling and mining rates and capacities, recoveries and recovery
rates, timing associated with improving any of the foregoing, as well as the Corporations’ guidance.
Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release reflect management’s current
beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management
believes to be reasonable assumptions, Aya cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with
such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions,
opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions, and its
expectations of future developments that management believe to be reasonable and relevant but that
may prove to be incorrect. These assumptions include, among other things, the capacity to stabilise or
improve production, production capacity, mining or milling rates, throughput, availabilities, and
recoveries, the capacity to stabilize or improve any of the foregoing, the capacity to obtain results
described in the feasibility study and the capacity for the Corporation to meet its guidance, the ability to
obtain any requisite governmental approvals, obtaining regulatory permits for on-site work, importing
goods and machinery and employment permits, the accuracy of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource
Estimates (including, but not limited to, ore tonnage and ore grade estimates), the price of silver, the
price of gold, exchange rates, fuel and energy costs, future economic conditions, anticipated future
estimates of free cash flow, and courses of action. Aya cautions you not to place undue reliance upon
any such forward-looking statements.
The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: the
inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including government
approvals and permitting, changes in economic conditions, changes in the worldwide price of silver gold
and other key inputs, changes in mine plans (including, but not limited to, throughput and recoveries
being affected by metallurgical characteristics) and other factors, such as project execution delays,
many of which are beyond the control of Aya, as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more
fully described in Aya’s 2024 Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2025, and in other filings of Aya
with securities and regulatory authorities which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Aya
does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related
to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs, and opinions change. Nothing in this document should
be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell Aya securities. All references to Aya
include its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise.