Rodruin
RODRUIN EXPLORATION PROJECT
Discovered by the Aton team in December 2017 using spectral imaging and remote sensing techniques, exploration at Rodruin has been fast-tracked with the first drill results received in September 2018. The area was completely unknown and not recorded prior to discovery, presumably due to its remote and rugged location well away from the main access routes in the general area, although the local Bedouin tribes made rumour of a large ancient mine on top of a mountain, but did not know of its location.
The Rodruin area was first visited in December 2017 by an Aton field team, with major underground workings discovered in the Aladdin’s Hill area. It was immediately recognised that the Rodruin prospect was a very significant discovery, and Aton has since fast-tracked exploration at the project. A 4.5km access road was constructed to the prospect area, with surface and underground rockchip and grab sampling, and surface channel sampling and geological mapping having been undertaken.
A first-pass programme of reverse circulation percussion (RC) drilling was completed in December 2018, consisting of 50 holes, for a total of 4,125m drilled. Gold mineralization and/or ancient workings were intersected in virtually every drill hole, including a mineralized intercept of 56m @ 8.20 g/t Au, from surface, in hole ROP-003 (see news release here).
A second phase diamond drilling programme started in November 2021, and is ongoing. Following the completion of this programme it is anticipated that work will commence on the establishment of a maiden resource estimate at Rodruin. Results returned to date include 88.25m @ 1.74 g/t Au and 9.7 g/t Ag in oxides from hole ROD-055, 129.5m @ 1.00 g/t Au and 8.8 g/t Ag from surface and over the entire length of hole ROD-056, and 88.6m @ 5.76 g/t Au, 42.0 g/t Ag, 0.31 % Cu and 2.40 % Zn from in sulphides from hole ROD-071.