MONTREAL, June 8, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Aya Gold
& Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA) ("Aya" or the "Corporation")
is pleased to announce high-grade silver results from its 2021
drill exploration program including its second-highest drill
exploration result ever with a step-out intercept of 6,437 grams
per tonne ("g/t) over 6.5 meters ("m") at its Zgounder Silver Mine
in the Kingdom of Morocco. Results from these drill holes
extend the mineralisation on strike and at depth to the east, and
at depth below the current resource.
Key Highlights (all intersections are in core
lengths)
- ZG-21-15 intersected 6,437 g/t Ag over 6.5m including
-
- 24,613 g/t Ag over 0.5m
- 11,483 g/t Ag over 0.5m
- 12,775 g/t Ag over 0.5m
- ZG-SF-21-04 intersected 1,344 g/t Ag over 5m including
-
- 2,342 g/t Ag over 1.0m
- 1,360 g/t Ag over 3.0m
- T28-21-1975-120 intersected 1,599 g/t Ag over
8.4m including
-
- 7,143 g/t Ag over 1.2m
- 2,903 g/t Ag over 1.2m
- Near-surface result, ZG-21-15, extended high-grade silver
extension by 75m to the east
- Underground results extend high-grade silver mineralization at
depth by 30m below last level, and an
extra zone at 82m will be further
investigated
- Eight diamond drill rigs are exploring the target zones below
the mine to the granite contact and the lateral extensions
The three results comprise one diamond drill hole ("DDH") from
surface, and two holes started from within the mine, one of which
is a T28 percussion hole. Hole ZG-21-15 located to the east,
intersected 6,437 g/t Ag over 6.5m (see Table and Figure 1) starting at
35m, extending the strike by an
average of 75 meters to the east and confirming continuity along
strike. A drilling program has been scheduled to follow up on
ZG-21-15 lateral and vertical continuity.
Further, hole ZG-SF-21-04 intersected 1,344 g/t Ag
over 5.0m, including
2,342 g/t Ag over 1.0m and
1,360 g/t Ag over 3.0m at depth
to the east. Finally, hole T28-21-1975-120 intersected
1,599 g/t Ag over 8.4m
including 7,143 g/t Ag and 2,903 g/t Ag over
1.2m, respectively, below the current
mine workings.
"Today's exceptional high-grade drill exploration results
meaningfully extend the strike to the east and reaffirm Zgounder's
potential as we move to grow our resource beyond the current
resource envelope. Hole ZG-21-15, which represents a new second
all-time best result for Zgounder, identifies a new, exceptionally
high-grade zone that offers significant potential for near-surface
resource additions," said Benoit La
Salle, President & CEO.
Table 1 – Significant Intercepts from Underground Drilling at
Zgounder (in core lengths)
Hole
No.
|
From
(m)
|
To
(m)
|
Length1
(m)
|
Ag2
(g/t)
|
Surface
|
ZG-21-15
|
35.00
|
41.50
|
6.50
|
6,437
|
|
including
|
0.50
|
24,613
|
|
|
including
|
0.50
|
11,483
|
|
|
including
|
0.50
|
12,775
|
|
79.00
|
82.00
|
3.00
|
109
|
|
136.50
|
143.50
|
7.00
|
267
|
|
146.50
|
148.00
|
1.50
|
316
|
|
160.00
|
161.50
|
1.50
|
128
|
Underground
|
ZG-SF-21-04
|
19.00
|
21.00
|
2.00
|
562
|
23.50
|
28.50
|
5.00
|
1,344
|
|
including
|
1.00
|
2,342
|
|
including
|
3.00
|
1,360
|
83.50
|
84.50
|
1.00
|
256
|
88.50
|
89.50
|
1.00
|
132
|
T28-21-1975-120
|
1.20
|
9.60
|
8.40
|
1,599
|
|
including
|
1.20
|
7,143
|
|
including
|
1.20
|
2,903
|
19.20
|
22.80
|
3.60
|
298
|
1 Holes were drilled at various
angles; true widths are not known at this time.
|
2 All
assay results are above the cut-off grade of 75 g/t
Ag.
|
2021 Exploration Program
To date, over 22,000m of the
41,000m scheduled drilling program in
2021 have been drilled at Zgounder, of which 13,000m on surface. A total of eight diamond
drilling rigs, five at surface and three underground, are currently
active on the property.
Quality Assurance
For core drilling, all individual samples represent
approximately one meter in length of core, which was 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 in Marrakech, Morocco. All samples are analysed 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 reanalysed using fire assaying.
Marc-Antoine Audet, Ph.D. P. Geo,
Geological Consultant, 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
publicly traded Canadian company focused on the operation,
exploration, acquisition and development of silver and gold
deposits. Aya is currently operating mining and milling facilities
at its Zgounder Silver Mine, an 85%-15% joint venture between its
subsidiary, ZMSM, and the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des
Mines ("ONHYM") of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Its mining portfolio also includes the Boumadine polymetallic
deposit located in the Anti-Atlas Mountains of Eastern Morocco which is also a joint venture
with ONHYM wherein Aya retains an 85% ownership. Additionally, the
Corporation's portfolio includes the Amizmiz and Azegour
properties, both being 100% owned, with gold, tungsten, molybdenum
and copper occurrences in the center of the historical mining
district of Morocco.
For additional information, please visit Aya's website at
www.ayagoldsilver.com.
Or contact:
Benoit La Salle,
FCPA FCA
President &
CEO
benoit.lasalle@ayagoldsilver.com
|
Alex
Ball
VP, Corporate
Development & IR
alex.ball@ayagoldsilver.com
|
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 "plans", "expects",
"does not expect", "scheduled", "trends", "indications",
"potential", "estimates", "predicts", "anticipate", "to establish",
"does not anticipate", "believe", "intend", "ability to" 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 exploration and development
potential of Zgounder and the timing in respect thereof, future
opportunities for enhancing development at Zgounder, and timing for
the release of the Company's disclosure in connection with the
foregoing. 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 closing and timing of financing,
the ability to obtain any requisite governmental approvals, the
accuracy of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Estimates
(including, but not limited to, ore tonnage and ore grade
estimates), silver price, 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 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 2020 Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2021, and in other filings of Aya with
securities and regulatory authorities which are available on SEDAR
at www.sedar.com. 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.
SOURCE Aya Gold & Silver
Inc