TSX-V-listed Aton Resources’ drilling programme at its Abu Marawat concession, in Egypt, has been delayed.

Aton signed a drilling contract with Energold Drilling in June to complete a minimum of 4 250 m of diamond drilling at the concession. 

At the time of signing the contract, it was expected that drilling would start in September. However, owing to export clearance and shipping delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the scheduled delivery date of the drill rig to the port in Egypt has been delayed to October 9.

As a result, Aton expects to start drilling only during the month of November.

The programme will start at Rodruin, with 3 350 m of drilling, with the objective of following up on the successful 2018 reverse circulation percussion drill programme, as well as testing, for the first time, the high-grade veins sampled at surface on the North Ridge, which returned assays of up to 321 g/t gold.

Drilling will also further test and delineate the distribution of the near-surface oxide mineralisation identified on the South Ridge, which returned intercepts including 36 m at 12.47 g/t gold and 20 m at 5.36 g/t gold.

The programme will also follow up on the deeper sulphide mineralisation which returned wide intersections including 61 m at 1.55 g/t gold, 8.9 g/t gold and 0.86% zinc.

The drilling programme at Hamama will consist of 900 m of drilling, with the objective of delineating additional oxide and transitional resources at the Hamama East and Central areas, which have not been effectively drill tested to date.

Channel sampling of surface trenches has indicated the potential for relatively high-grade oxide mineralisation, and has returned intercepts including 84 m at 1.13 g/t gold, 49.7 g/t gold and 7.29% zinc and 42.8 m at 1.28 g/t gold, 55.5 g/t gold and 10.37% zinc.

During the last six months, Aton has completed all the necessary work required to start the drill programme, including the acquisition of capital items, construction of a new camp at the Rodruin project, road construction and drill pad preparation.

Aton’s exploration team has also resumed field activities, continuing with the surface channel sampling programme at Rodruin, and has also undertaken further sampling, mapping and ionic leach sampling at the Abu Gaharish prospect.

Samples have been dispatched to ALS Minerals for analysis and results will be released when they become available.

CORPORATE UPDATE

Owing to other professional commitments, Bill Koutsouras has resigned from his position as director and interim CEO of Aton, effective immediately. He will continue to be available to provide ongoing support to Aton in the future as an adviser.

Tonno Vahk will assume the role of interim CEO, effective immediately and until such time as a permanent CEO is appointed.

Vahk has been a director of Aton since 2017 and is a significant shareholder, with his current shareholding representing 12.97% of the issued and outstanding shares of Aton.