Aton Announces Initial Results From the Second Phase of Selective Grab Sampling at the Rodruin Prospect, With Gold Assays Up to 13.90 G/T

2018-03-05 / @nasdaq

 

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aton Resources Inc. (TSX-V:AAN) (“Aton” or the “Company") is very pleased to provide investors with an update on exploration activities at the Company’s 100% owned Abu Marawat Concession (“Abu Marawat” or the “Concession”), and to announce gold assay results from the second phase of grab sampling at the recently discovered Rodruin prospect.

Figure 1
Abu Marawat regional geology, showing the location of the Rodruin prospect


Figure 2
Sample locations and gold assay results, Phase 2 grab sampling program only


Figure 3
Sample locations and gold assay results, combined Phase 1 and 2 grab sampling programs


Highlights:

  • A second phase of selective surface grab sampling has been completed at Rodruin, consisting of a total of 102 samples, including 4 QAQC samples. Samples were analyzed for gold by fire assay and a 33 element geochemical suite;
     
  • Grab samples returned gold assay grades including 13.90 g/t Au and 10.75 g/t Au. Base metal and trace element results are still pending;
     
  • 29 of the 98 ‘primary’ samples (30% of total) returned gold assay grades above 1 g/t Au, and 43 samples (44% of total) returned grades above 0.5 g/t Au;
     
  • This second phase sampling program has confirmed the widespread distribution of surface gold mineralization at Rodruin, and has extended the area over which mineralization has been identified. Widespread gold mineralization occurs at surface on the South Ridge, with mineralization more restricted to discrete high grade zones on the North Ridge.

“These are very solid results over a broad surface area and we are very pleased with them.” said Mark Campbell, President and CEO. ”There are more assay results to look forward to, and at the same time we have started work on building a road in to Rodruin in advance of our upcoming drilling program”.

Rodruin Prospect

The Rodruin prospect (see Figure 1) was discovered in early 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. The Rodruin prospect is located over an area consisting of 2 approximately E-W trending parallel mountain ridges, in a remote and rugged location. It is currently only accessible on foot, but can be reached via drivable desert tracks which pass within about 3km of the prospect. Work on the construction of an access road to Rodruin from its western side has been started.

Very extensive ancient workings have been identified at Rodruin, covering a large area, and occurring predominantly within a series of carbonate rocks. These ancient mine workings are the largest and most significant workings identified to date in the Concession. The workings are spread over an area of at least 500m x 400m in size, and over a vertical elevation range of more than 100m, and are located predominantly on the South Ridge of the Rodruin prospect, with fewer workings on the North Ridge. The ancient miners exploited high grade gossanous oxide gold mineralization, often associated with gold-bearing quartz veins, with the workings typically localized along structural or shear zones.

Figure 1: - An infographic accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8bde33f6-6003-4b25-96b4-2663b7ced657

Of the 98 grab samples collected, 68 were collected from the South Ridge, and 30 from the North Ridge (see Figure 2). It is apparent that outcropping mineralization is more widespread on the South Ridge, and on the North Ridge is more areally restricted to discrete high grade structurally controlled zones. Surface mineralization further to the west of the main area of workings on the western end of the South Ridge was newly identified and sampled in the Phase 2 program. Additional deep ancient workings on very high grade zones on the South Ridge were identified during the second phase of sampling, but these were not sampled in this program. A summary of the gold assay results is provided in Table 1, and full details of all samples are provided in Appendix A.

February 2018 Phase 2 surface sampling program
A second phase program of surface sampling was carried out in early February 2018, with 98 selective grab samples collected. All samples were crushed to -4mm at the Company’s onsite sample preparation facility at Hamama, with c. 500g splits shipped to ALS Minerals at Rosia Montana, Romania for analysis. Samples were analyzed for gold by fire assay using analytical code AA-Au23 (repeated by AA-Au25 for samples which returned gold grades greater than 10 g/t). Samples were also analyzed for Ag, Cu, Pb and Zn as part of a 33 element suite by ICP atomic emission spectrometry, using analytical code ME-ICP61. Base metal and trace element results are still pending, and are not reported herein.

Figure 2: - An infographic accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e5f4f9db-b18d-42ab-9aa9-78a5ee5da635

Figure 3: - An infographic accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1bae7edf-537b-4d78-aa16-c7a06de5ea05

Significant gold assays were returned from many samples, with 30% assaying greater than 1 g/t Au and 44% of the samples assaying over 0.5 g/t Au (see Table 1 and Figure 2). The overall mean average grade of all the samples was 1.06 g/t Au.

Phase 2 sampling on the South Ridge confirmed the widespread distribution of mineralization at surface, and extended the known mineralization further to the west (see Figure 3). 57% of the South Ridge samples assayed above 0.5 g/t Au, and the mean average all samples from the South Ridge was 1.29 g/t Au. The median average of the South Ridge samples was 0.75 g/t Au.

Sampling on the North Ridge confirmed that mineralization is more restricted to discrete narrow high grade zones, and is less areally widespread (see Figure 3). Only limited examination of the North Ridge has been undertaken to date, due to the fairly extreme topography in this area.

 ALL SAMPLESSOUTH RIDGENORTH RIDGE
No. %No. %No. %
> 5 g/t Au :33%23%13%
> 1 g/t Au :2930%2638%310%
> 0.5 g/t Au :4344%3957%413%
AVERAGE (MEAN) :1.061.290.55
AVERAGE (MEDIAN) :0.330.750.04
No. of samples9868
30

Table 1: Summary of Phase 2 surface sample gold assays

Discussion
The Rodruin prospect represents a major ancient mining site from which gold was exploited from high grade gossanous structures and quartz veins, localized in or adjacent to the margins of a distinctive gossanous carbonate unit. The mineralization at Rodruin appears to be of a broadly similar carbonate-hosted hybrid VMS-epithermal style to that seen and interpreted at other prospects in the license such as Hamama, Waayrah, and Miranda SE, but it has been extensively tectonized with the development of significant high grade structurally controlled and shear-hosted zones. Rodruin is characterized by the very widespread distribution of mineralization at surface (see Figure 3), and the presence of the high grade zones, which were preferentially exploited by the ancient miners (see new release dated February 6, 2017). The Phase 2 sampling continues to confirm the potential of the Rodruin prospect to host a large body of Au(-Ag-Zn) mineralization, with a significant component of structurally controlled high grade gold zones, occurring in a distinctive, probably replacive, mineralized carbonate unit.

Rodruin is now the primary focus of the Company’s exploration efforts. Further surface sampling is ongoing, and work has started on the construction of a road into the prospect, with the aim of allowing drilling to commence by April 2018.

About Aton Resources Inc.

Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) is focused on its 100% owned Abu Marawat Concession (“Abu Marawat”), located in Egypt’s Arabian-Nubian Shield, approximately 200 km north of Centamin’s Sukari gold mine. Aton has identified a 40 km long gold mineralized trend at Abu Marawat, anchored by the Hamama deposit in the west and the Abu Marawat deposit in the east, containing numerous gold exploration targets, including three historic British mines. Aton has identified several distinct geological trends within Abu Marawat, which display potential for the development of RIRG and orogenic gold mineralization, VMS precious and base metal mineralization, and epithermal-IOCG precious and base metal mineralization. Abu Marawat is over 738km2 in size and is located in an area of excellent infrastructure; a four-lane highway, a 220kV power line, and a water pipeline are in close proximity.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this News Release was prepared by Roderick Cavaney BSc, MSc (hons), MSc (Mining & Exploration Geology), FAusIMM, GSA, SME, Vice President, Exploration, of Aton Resources Inc. Mr. Cavaney is a qualified person (QP) under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

For further information regarding Aton Resources Inc., please visit us at www.atonresources.com or contact:

Mark Campbell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Tel: +202-27356548

Email: mcampbell@atonresources.com

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions; by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Appendix A – Gold Assay Results

Sample IDEastingNorthingLocation Au (g/t)Description
136135529902913121North Ridge0.01Fe-stained shear zone in carbonate altered tuffs
136145529662913112North Ridge0.02Fe-stained sheared, silicified and carbonate altered tuffs
136155529652913106North Ridge0.05Purple/black/yellow gossan in sheared, altered tuffs
136165529252913037North Ridge0.02Fe-stained sheared contact between carbonate and tuffs
136175529512913029North Ridge0.03Black/brown gossan on sheared and carbonate altered tuffs
136185529582913016North Ridge0.10Carbonate with brown gossan (and some hemimorphite?)
136195529902912981North Ridge0.33Soft black-brown gossan
136205529812913016North Ridge0.01Highly sheared and altered carbonate, with black/brown gossan
136215529962912983North Ridge1.44Highly sheared red-brown gossan
136225530072912980North Ridge0.23Mineralized (?) carbonate with red-brown gossan
136235530132912974North Ridge0.152m wide shear zone with black/red gossan in carbonate
136245530222912990North Ridge0.32Soft black gossan in sheared, altered carbonate
136255530312913014North Ridge10.75Gossanous shear vein in ancient workings
136265530972913099North Ridge0.05Shear zone with black Mn? alteration
136275531362913083North Ridge0.02Mineralized (?) carbonate with iron oxides and minor brown-red gossan
175815523222913023South Ridge0.69Red-brown/yellowish gossanous material, from old working
175825522802913043South Ridge1.90Ancient working, silicified and mineralized carbonate with gossan, on contact with sheared tuffs
175835522852913041South Ridge1.40Ancient working, silicified and mineralized carbonate with gossan, on contact with sheared tuffs
175845522892913044South Ridge0.88Ancient working, silicified and mineralized carbonate with hemimorphite-rich gossan, on contact with sheared tuffs
175855522872913020South Ridge1.64Ancient working, silicified and mineralized carbonate with hemimorphite-rich gossan, on contact with sheared tuffs
175865522832913000South Ridge0.77Ancient working, silicified and mineralized carbonate with hemimorphite-rich gossan, on contact with sheared tuffs
175875522812913004South Ridge1.95Ancient working, soft brown gossan
175885524222913060South Ridge1.44Ancient working, carbonate with some gossan and malachite staining
175895524452913058South Ridge4.26Mixed sheared tuffs and carbonate, with highly gossanous material close to contact
17590   5.13Duplicate of 17589
175915524512913030South Ridge5.02Carbonate with highly gossanous material and some iron oxides
175925524852913038South Ridge0.06Silica-carbonate outcrop with veinlets of dark material and some iron oxides
175935525202913041South Ridge0.02Silica-carbonate outcrop, mixed with sheared tuffs
175945525492913013South Ridge0.072-3m wide Fe-rich sheared zone, highly altered
175955524442912947South Ridge0.32Ancient working, mineralized carbonate with gossan
175965524402912944South Ridge0.89Ancient working, soft brown gossan
175975524432912931South Ridge0.18Mineralized carbonate with hemimorphite-rich gossan, 1m inside old working
175985524712912903South Ridge0.11Outcrop of highly silicified and mineralised, gossanous carbonate
175995525022912895South Ridge0.85Very friable soft gossan material in fractured carbonate
176005525382912891South Ridge0.22Gossanous, sheared contact of carbonate
186155525972912876South Ridge1.41Outcrop of patchy gossan on sheared carbonate contact
186165526102912886South Ridge2.14Ancient working, carbonate with abundant brown gossan
186175526122912885South Ridge1.31Ancient working, carbonate with strong black-brown gossan from underground


Sample IDEastingNorthingLocation Au (g/t)Description
186185526162912843South Ridge4.28Ancient working, on sheared contact between tuffs and carbonate
186195526552912861South Ridge0.74Black to red gossan, pyritic boxwork texture
186205526272912886South Ridge0.83Patchy gossan in carbonate
186215526712912879South Ridge1.58Black to red patchy gossan in carbonate
186225526212912895South Ridge4.45Gossan with carbonate, old working
186235525742912902South Ridge3.19Dark red gossan, limonite and hematite-rich, from ancient underground working
186245524412912989South Ridge0.33Small ancient working, red-brown gossan, with some baryte
18625   0.005Blank sample
186265524912912980South Ridge0.06Outcrop of highly silica-carbonate with weak mineralization
186275525002912976South Ridge0.07Outcrop of highly silica-carbonate, with some mineralization, iron oxide rich
186285525402912956South Ridge0.01Outcrop of highly silica-carbonate, with some mineralization, limited iron oxides
186295525692912937South Ridge0.88Gossanous shear zone, highly altered with iron oxides, hematite and black material (Mn?)
186305525792912948South Ridge1.06Friable soft gossan, in shear zone
186315525782912952South Ridge0.09Carbonate altered tuffs, with brown/yellow gossan
186325526462912987South Ridge1.58Black/yellowish gossan, in shear zone
186335526402912996South Ridge0.40Slatey tuffs replaced by limonite and hematite, with some patches of gossan, in shear zone
186345525242913030South Ridge0.04Gossanous silica-carbonate
186355524732913042South Ridge0.07Silica-carbonate, weakly gossanous
186365527492912711South Ridge0.02Mixed carbonate and altered tuffs, black and brown Mn and Fe (?) alteration
186375527122912748South Ridge0.04Outcrop of mineralized silica-carbonate, weakly gossanous
186385527122912738South Ridge0.30Shear zone in altered carbonate, with Fe oxides
186395527002912766South Ridge0.05Outcrop of silica-carbonate with some black/brown gossan
186405527082912783South Ridge13.90Dark black gossan, with quartz veins in fractures
186415527392912759South Ridge0.43Gossanous material between carbonate and altered tuffs
186425527662912746South Ridge1.92Ancient working, dark brown/black gossan
186435527832912752South Ridge1.20Ancient working, mineralized carbonate, with dark red gossan
186445527832912728South Ridge0.43Ancient working, shear zone with dark brown/black gossan
186455528082912700South Ridge0.17Fe oxide-rich shear zone on boundary of carbonate with altered tuffs
186465528402912714South Ridge0.00Outcrop of altered silica-carbonate, weakly mineralised
186475528322912804South Ridge0.30Outcrop of altered silica-carbonate, with some brown gossan
186485527992912765South Ridge4.04Deep red-brown gossan, on a quartz vein contact
186495528562912801South Ridge0.00Sheared tuffs, with iron oxides
186505527962912771South Ridge0.61Remobilized dark brown to black gossan
186515527082912855South Ridge0.93Silica-carbonate, with limonite, iron oxide and black (Mn?) staining
186525527022912882South Ridge1.21Silica-carbonate, with gossan
186535527042912907South Ridge0.62Silica-carbonate, with gossan
186545527202912934South Ridge4.59Ancient working, with deep brown/dark yellowish gossan
18655   <0.005Blank sample
186565528072913093North Ridge0.17Silica-carbonate, with sheared brown/black gossan
186575530082912954North Ridge0.31Silica-carbonate, with brown/black gossan
186585530112912965North Ridge1.23Silica-carbonate with red-brown/black/yellowish gossan between argillites (tuffs?) and carbonate
Sample IDEastingNorthingLocation Au (g/t)Description
186595529502912980North Ridge0.01Sheared tuffs with some gossan, within carbonate
186605529382913018North Ridge0.05Strongly gossanous silica-carbonate, and highly carbonate altered tuffs
186615531002913159North Ridge0.01Fe oxide-stained shear zone, in tuffs?
186625530532913173North Ridge0.04Silica-carbonate band with dark brown gossan in shear zone (25cm wide)
186635530152913140North Ridge0.87Sheared zone, with dark black/red gossan
186645530262913142North Ridge0.0210cm wide quartz vein, with dark material in sheared rock
186655530242913106North Ridge0.01Folded quartz veinlets in sheared tuffs, with black/brown Mn?, limonite, carbonate and greenish alteration
186665530022913080North Ridge0.03Sheared tuffs, with limonite and hematite, and abundant dark Mn?
186675529702913075North Ridge0.012m wide zone of gossanous material in carbonate
186685529802913039North Ridge0.033m wide zone of dark gossanous material in carbonate
186695530652913028North Ridge0.0350cm wide zone of sheared dark gossanous material in carbonate
186705531032912996North Ridge0.07Black soft material in strongly weathered zone
18671   <0.005Blank sample
188415522822913084South Ridge0.39Silicified gossan, on sheared contact
188425522782912996South Ridge1.26Silicified gossan, at old working
188435522802912996South Ridge0.96Dark red/yellowish gossan from old underground working
188445524132913032South Ridge1.52Outcrop of gossanous mineralized (?) carbonate
188455524342913019South Ridge0.07Outcrop of gossanous, mineralized carbonate, with 20cm wide quartz vein
188465524582913005South Ridge0.38Outcrop of gossanous, mineralized silica-carbonate
188475525792912941South Ridge0.01Outcrop of gossanous carbonate
188485526332913000South Ridge1.35Highly altered and sheared material
188495523082913027South Ridge3.45Ancient working, red-brownish soft gossan
188505523172913024South Ridge0.68Red-brown/yellowish gossan, sampled 10m inside old working

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