Aya Gold & Silver Reports High-Grade Silver Results at Depth and Identifies New Zgounder Regional Targets

/EIN News/ -- MONTREAL, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA; OTCQX: AYASF) (“Aya” or the “Corporation”) is pleased to announce high-grade silver results from its ongoing drill program at the Zgounder Silver Mine. The Corporation has also identified multiple high-potential targets within the broader Zgounder Regional area in the Kingdom of Morocco.

Highlights (all intersections are in core lengths)

• In the Central Zone:
  • Hole DZG-SF-25-412 intercepted 3,279 grams per tonne (“g/t”) silver (“Ag”) over 8.0 meters (“m”), including 6,425 g/t Ag over 4.0m
  • Hole DZG-SF-25-422 intercepted 5,297 g/t Ag over 4.0m
  • Hole DZG-SF-25-409 intercepted 3,042 g/t Ag over 3.0m including 4,456 g/t Ag over 2.0m
  • Hole DZG-SF-25-557 intercepted 1,534 g/t Ag over 4.3m including 6,144 g/t Ag over 0.8m
• In the Open-Pit Area:
  • Hole ZG-RC-24-593 intercepted 1,123 g/t Ag over 6.0m
• At Depth Near the Granite Contact:
  • Hole ZG-SF-24-123 intercepted 1,640 g/t Ag over 12.6m, including 10,104 g/t Ag over 1.0m and 2,747 g/t Ag over 7.0m
  • Hole ZG-SF-24-216 intercepted 772 g/t Ag over 3.0m
  • Hole T28-25-666 intercepted 664 g/t Ag over 10.8m including 1,344 g/t Ag over 4.8m
• Identification of Several Regional Targets from Mapping and Grab Sampling:
  • Ag values up to 178 g/t
  • Gold (“Au”) values up to 10.3 g/t
  • Copper (“Cu”) values up to 4.4%
• 7,122m of the 2025 Exploration Program Drilled Year-to-Date

“Today’s high-grade results — including hole ZG-SF-24-123 near the granite contact and DZG-SF-25-412 in the Central zone — are among our best to date. They confirm strong continuity at depth and reveal a new high-grade zone in the core of the orebody, all outside the current resource model,” said Benoit La Salle, President & CEO. “At the regional scale, recent mapping and sampling have outlined several high-priority targets east of Zgounder with potential for new discoveries. With three rigs turning, we expect a steady stream of results in the months ahead at both Zgounder and Zgounder Regional.”

Included in this release are results from 295 holes, which include four surface Diamond Drill (“DDH”), 180 underground DDH, 15 Reverse Circulation (“RC”), 68 T28 and 28 YAK holes (T28 and YAK: percussion drilling using an air-compressed hammer). For a full summary of today’s results, refer to Appendix 1.

Table 1 – Significant Intercepts from Drilling at Zgounder (core lengths)

Figure 1: Location of Drill Results at Zgounder

2025 Exploration Results

This year, 38 diamond drill holes (“DDH”) totaling 7,122m have been completed at Zgounder. Drilling was conducted mostly underground in the Central and Western Zones as well as on some near-mine regional targets.

Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 shows the advance of the regional mapping and prospecting. Grab sample results have identified some high-grade grab Ag-Cu, and Au, along with many precious metal anomalies, indicating a strong mineralization potential within 20km from the Zgounder deposit. Ag-Cu anomalies in the northern and eastern regions are associated with intermediate to mafic units, while Au anomalies in the southwest correlate with strongly altered rocks (bleaching) — a mineralization style previously unrecorded in the district. New targets in the Zgounder Far East permits will be drill tested in the coming months.

The Zgounder Far East block comprises Neoproterozoic geology divided into three distinct zones: Southern Zone dominated by volcano-sedimentary rocks and pebbly sandstones alternated with felsic volcanics. Central Zone hosts an ophiolite complex, featuring mafic and ultramafic rocks intercalated with fine-grained sandstone units. Northern Zone is composed of intermediate to mafic volcanic and intrusive rocks, alternating with conglomerates.

Figure 2: Surface Map of Zgounder Property with Simplified Geology

Figure 3: Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Ag Grab Samples

Figure 4: Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Cu Grab Samples

Figure 5: Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Au Grab Samples

Quality Assurance

For core drilling, all individual samples represent approximately one meter in length of core, which is 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 (“Afrilab”) in Marrakesh, Morocco or to ALS Laboratory at the Zgounder Mine site. All samples are analyzed 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 reanalyzed using fire assaying.

For definition drilling using RC, all individual samples represent 1.0m in length and for T28 drilling equipment, all individual samples represent 1.2m in length. Samples are assayed at either the ALS Mine laboratory or at Afrilab. All samples are analyzed for silver, copper, iron, lead, and zinc using Aqua regia and finished by AAS. Samples grading above 200 g/t Ag are reanalyzed using fire assaying. Rigorous quality controls (QaQc) are applied at both locations.

David Lalonde, B.Sc. P. Geo, Vice-President Exploration, 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 rapidly growing, Canada-based silver producer with operations in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The only TSX-listed pure silver mining company, Aya operates the high-grade Zgounder Silver Mine and is exploring its properties along the prospective South-Atlas Fault, several of which have hosted past-producing mines and historical resources. Aya’s Moroccan mining assets are complemented by its Tijirit Gold Project in Mauritania, which, subject to the announcement of September 12, 2024, will be developed by Mx2 Mining, a new spinout gold-growth company.

Aya’s management team has been focused on maximizing shareholder value by anchoring sustainability at the heart of its operations, governance, and financial growth plans.

For additional information, please visit Aya’s website at www.ayagoldsilver.com.

Or contact

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 “growth”, “potential”, “targets”, “potential”, “expect”, 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 growth potential of the Zgounder resource, making new discoveries in Zgounder and Zgounder Regional, and exploration results to be steadily coming in and published by the Corporation,. 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 ability to obtain any requisite governmental approvals, obtaining regulatory permits for on-site work, importing goods and machinery and employment permits, the accuracy of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Estimates (including, but not limited to, ore tonnage and ore grade estimates), the price of silver, the price of gold, 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 gold 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 2024 Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2024, and in other filings of Aya with securities and regulatory authorities which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. 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.

Appendix 1 - Mineral Intercepts from Drilling at Zgounder (core lengths)

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: 
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/10b60c6b-7547-4735-baf0-5ba070ab6d0b
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/22f71d24-1888-482e-89f3-954dcf4fa294
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Figure 1:

Location of Drill Results at Zgounder

Figure 2:

Surface Map of Zgounder Property with Simplified Geology

Figure 3:

Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Ag Grab Samples

Figure 4:

Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Cu Grab Samples

Figure 5:

Surface Map of Zgounder Far East with Simplified Geology and Au Grab Samples