Aya Gold & Silver Reports High -Grade Silver Results at Depth and Identifies New Zgounder Regional Targets
PRESS RELEASE
Aya Gold & Silver Reports High -Grade Silver Results at
Depth and Identifies New Zgounder Regional Targets
Montreal, Quebec, May 21, 2025 - Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA; OTCQX: AYASF) (“Aya” or the
“Corporation”) is pleased to announce high-grade silver results from its ongoing drill program at the
Zgounder Silver Mine. The Corporation has also identified multiple high-potential targets within the
broader Zgounder Regional area in the Kingdom of Morocco.
Highlights (all intersections are in core lengths)
• In the Central Zone:
• Hole DZG-SF-25-412 intercepted 3,279 grams per tonne (“g/t”) silver (“Ag”) over 8.0
meters (“m”), including 6,425 g/t Ag over 4.0m
• Hole DZG-SF-25-422 intercepted 5,297 g/t Ag over 4.0m
• Hole DZG-SF-25-409 intercepted 3,042 g/t Ag over 3.0m including 4,456 g/t Ag over
2.0m
• Hole DZG-SF-25-557 intercepted 1,534 g/t Ag over 4.3m including 6,144 g/t Ag over
0.8m
• In the Open-Pit Area:
• Hole ZG-RC-24-593 intercepted 1,123 g/t Ag over 6.0m
• At Depth Near the Granite Contact:
• Hole ZG-SF-24-123 intercepted 1,640 g/t Ag over 12.6m, including 10,104 g/t Ag over
1.0m and 2,747 g/t Ag over 7.0m
• Hole ZG-SF-24-216 intercepted 772 g/t Ag over 3.0m
• Hole T28-25-666 intercepted 664 g/t Ag over 10.8m including 1,344 g/t Ag over 4.8m
• Identification of Several Regional Targets from Mapping and Grab Sampling:
• Ag values up to 178 g/t
• Gold (“Au”) values up to 10.3 g/t
• Copper (“Cu”) values up to 4.4%
• 7,122m of the 2025 Exploration Program Drilled Year-to-Date
“Today’s high-grade results — including hole ZG-SF-24-123 near the granite contact and DZG-SF-
25-412 in the Central zone — are among our best to date. They confirm strong continuity at depth
and reveal a new high-grade zone in the core of the orebody, all outside the current resource model,”
said Benoit La Salle, President & CEO. “At the regional scale, recent mapping and sampling have
outlined several high-priority targets east of Zgounder with potential for new discoveries. With three
rigs turning, we expect a steady stream of results in the months ahead at both Zgounder and
Zgounder Regional.”
Included in this release are results from 295 holes, which include four surface Diamond Drill (“DDH”),
180 underground DDH, 15 Reverse Circulation (“RC”), 68 T28 and 28 YAK holes (T28 and YAK:
percussion drilling using an air-compressed hammer). For a full summary of today’s results, refer to
Appendix 1.
Table 1 – Significant Intercepts from Drilling at Zgounder (core lengths)
Hole ID From To Ag Length Ag x width
(g/t) (m)
Surface DDH
ZG-24-136 51.5 53.0 2,240 1.5 3,360
Underground DDH
ZG-SF-24-123 276.5 289.1 1,640 12.6 20,660
Including 278.0 279.0 10,104 1.0 10,104
Including 277.5 284.5 2,747 7.0 19,230
ZG-SF-24-216 79.0 82.0 772 3.0 2,316
DZG-SF-25-405 11.5 17.5 625 6.0 3,753
DZG-SF-25-405 38.0 40.0 1,466 2.0 2,931
DZG-SF-25-407A 20.5 22.5 1,573 2.0 3,146
DZG-SF-25-408 11.0 16.0 537 5.0 2,686
DZG-SF-25-409 23.0 26.0 3,042 3.0 9,125
Including 23.5 25.5 4,456 2.0 8,913
DZG-SF-25-410 21.4 27.0 462 5.6 2,586
DZG-SF-25-411 31.5 32.5 4,045 1.0 4,045
DZG-SF-25-412 56.5 64.5 3,279 8.0 26,231
Including 56.5 60.5 6,425 4.0 25,700
DZG-SF-25-422 48.0 52.0 5,297 4.0 21,188
DZG-SF-25-461 20.0 26.0 796 6.0 4,777
Including 21.0 24.1 1,193 3.1 3,700
DZG-SF-25-465 35.5 36.5 7,220 1.0 7,220
DZG-SF-25-532 15.0 16.5 2,450 1.5 3,675
DZG-SF-25-557 35.7 40.0 1,534 4.3 6,597
Including 37.5 38.3 6,144 0.8 4,915
DZG-SF-25-578 35.5 42.5 377 7.0 2,636
Surface RC
ZG-RC-24-593 0.0 6.0 1,123 6.0 6,740
Underground T28
T28-25-623 9.6 22.8 222 13.2 2,933
T28-25-628 1.2 8.4 845 7.2 6,080
T28-25-645 8.4 12.0 1,292 3.6 4,650
T28-25-666 14.4 25.2 664 10.8 7,169
Including 14.4 19.2 1,344 4.8 6,450
T28-25-668 14.4 21.6 482 7.2 3,467
Including 14.4 16.8 1,178 2.4 2,826
T28-25-671 12.0 25.2 751 13.2 9,910
Including 18.0 24.0 1,244 6.0 7,464
Underground YAK
YAK-25-255 44.4 50.4 807 6.0 4,841
Including 44.4 46.8 1,573 2.4 3,774
YAK-25-282 0.0 1.2 3,380 1.2 4,056
Figure 1: Location of Drill Results at Zgounder
2025 Exploration Results
This year, 38 diamond drill holes (“DDH”) totaling 7,122m have been completed at Zgounder. Drilling
was conducted mostly underground in the Central and Western Zones as well as on some near-mine
regional targets.
Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 shows the advance of the regional mapping and prospecting. Grab sample results
have identified some high-grade grab Ag-Cu, and Au, along with many precious metal anomalies,
indicating a strong mineralization potential within 20km from the Zgounder deposit. Ag-Cu anomalies
in the northern and eastern regions are associated with intermediate to mafic units, while Au
anomalies in the southwest correlate with strongly altered rocks (bleaching) — a mineralization style
previously unrecorded in the district. New targets in the Zgounder Far East permits will be drill tested
in the coming months.
The Zgounder Far East block comprises Neoproterozoic geology divided into three distinct zones:
Southern Zone dominated by volcano-sedimentary rocks and pebbly sandstones alternated with
felsic volcanics. Central Zone hosts an ophiolite complex, featuring mafic and ultramafic rocks
intercalated with fine-grained sandstone units. Northern Zone is composed of intermediate to mafic
volcanic and intrusive rocks, alternating with conglomerates.
Figure 2: Surface Map of Zgounder Property with Simplified Geology
Figure 3: Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Ag Grab Samples
Figure 4: Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Cu Grab Samples
Figure 5: Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Au Grab Samples
Quality Assurance
For core drilling, all individual samples represent approximately one meter in length of core, which is
halved. Half of the core is kept on site for reference, and its counterpart is sent for preparation and
assaying to African Laboratory for Mining and Environment (“Afrilab”) in Marrakech, Morocco or to
ALS Laboratory at the Zgounder Mine site. All samples are analyzed for silver, copper, iron, lead, and
zinc using Aqua regia and finished by atomic absorption spectroscopy (“AAS”). Samples grading
above 200 g/t Ag are reanalyzed using fire assaying.
For definition drilling using RC, all individual samples represent 1.0m in length and for T28 drilling
equipment, all individual samples represent 1.2m in length. Samples are assayed at either the ALS
Mine laboratory or at Afrilab. All samples are analyzed for silver, copper, iron, lead, and zinc using
Aqua regia and finished by AAS. Samples grading above 200 g/t Ag are reanalyzed using fire
assaying. Rigorous quality controls (QaQc) are applied at both locations.
David Lalonde, B.Sc. P. Geo, Vice-President Exploration, is Aya Gold & Silver’s Qualified Person and
has reviewed this press release for accuracy and compliance with National Instrument 43-101.
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 Moroccan mining assets are complemented
by its Tijirit Gold Project in Mauritania, which, subject to the announcement of September 12, 2024,
will be developed by Mx2 Mining, a new spinout gold-growth company.
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 “growth”, “potential”, “targets”, “potential”, “expect”, “, 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 growth potential of the Zgounder resource, making
new discoveries in Zgounder and Zgounder Regional, and exploration results to be steadily coming in
and published by the Corporation,. 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 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.