RC Drilling
In Q2 2023, Aton commenced an RC drilling program at the Semna prospect comprising 21 holes for a total of 3,662 metres. The drilling was primarily focused on the Main Vein zone (MVZ). Holes SMP-001 to SMP-014 were drilled on 3 north-northeast sections across the MVZ, the Central Vein zone (CVZ), and the South Vein zone (SVZ). Holes SMP-015 and SMP-016 were drilled on a northerly section at the now exposed eastern end of the 20th century workings, and holes SMP-017 to SMP-020 were drilled to test a postulated eastern extension to the MVZ (the MVZ-EX).
Mineralised intersections returned from the MVZ and the MVZ-EX during the phase 1 RC programme are tabulated below:
558930E cross section (Semna MVZ-EX)
558770E cross section (Semna MVZ)
Cross section 2 (Semna MVZ)
The RC programme successfully confirmed the continuity of the MVZ mineralisation beneath the historical workings along a strike length of about 200m and at depth. Furthermore the programme indicated the continuity of blind mineralisation in the MVZ-EX for approximately a further 200m to the NNE of the old mine workings, concealed under a thin veneer of wadi sediments. The MVZ-EX returned the widest intersections in the programme at some of the highest grades, and the drilling indicated the presence of multiple mineralised structures in this zone. Full results from the programme are reported here.
A second phase of diamond drilling is planned to commence at Semna in Q1-2024.