Highlights: A total of 106 selective grab samples were collected from Zeno and the Semna regional prospect areas; The Semna regional samples were taken in a wide and previously unsampled area to the southeast of the historic Semna gold mine, which has been heavily exploited by artisanal miners in recent times, and the Zeno samples were taken from new artisanal workings where newly and/or more deeply exposed mineralised structures had previously been sampled at or near surface; 34 samples were collected from the Zeno prospect area, and returned assays including 36.20 g/t Au, 15.30 g/t Au and 14.15 g/t Au. 3 more samples also returned assays greater than 10 g/t Au, and a further 3 samples also returned assays greater than 5 g/t Au; 72 samples were collected from the Semna regional prospect area, and returned assays including 25.70 g/t Au, 16.55 g/t Au and 15.20 g/t Au. 4 more samples returned assays greater than 10 g/t Au, and a further 6 samples returned assays greater than 5 g/t Au; The structural orientations and style of mineralisation at both prospects bear similarities to those observed at the nearby Semna gold mine; This sampling programme significantly expands the area of mineralised veins and structures in the broader Semna-Zeno area.
'We are very pleased with another set of impressive sampling results from the Semna and Zeno areas, which significantly expands the area of known mineralisation, as well as helping us to better understand the distribution of the mineralisation and its structural controls. The entire Semna-Zeno regional area is a very high priority target for us, and we have now started RC drilling at Semna, and expect to start drilling at Zeno in the middle of August' said Tonno Vahk, Interim CEO. 'We continue to push ahead, and remain firmly on track to submit our application for the mining licence at Abu Marawat in the coming weeks. We were also pleased to have recently attended the very successful
The Company has recently undertaken several surface sampling programmes, as part of its preparation and planning activities for the ongoing regional RC exploration drilling programme started in
Discussion of results
Zeno
Sampling was undertaken at the Zeno prospect area, located approximately 12 km north of the Rodruin mineral deposit and 4 km west of the old Semna gold mine.
Aton has recently completed a follow-up programme of selective grab sampling at Zeno, in areas previously sampled in 2018, but which have recently been exploited by artisanal miners. A total of 34 samples were collected from recently mined veins and structures, or from excavations that were previously sampled at a higher level or along strike.
The mineralisation has been worked extensively in both ancient and recent times in the Zeno area and appears to consist predominantly of narrow (typically
(C) 2023 Electronic News Publishing, source