Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA; OTCQX: AYASF) has reported impressive high-grade silver drill results from its ongoing exploration program at the Zgounder Silver Mine in Morocco, potentially expanding the mine’s resources and operational lifespan. The Canadian silver producer announced significant intercepts from various zones within the Zgounder property.
In the central zone, at the 2,000-meter level, drill hole DZG-SF-24-228 yielded an exceptional 3,794 grams per tonne (g/t) of silver over 10 meters. This high-grade intercept suggests the potential for substantial silver mineralization at depth.
The open-pit area also delivered promising results. Hole ZG-RC-24-413 intercepted 1,001 g/t silver over 28 meters, including a rich section of 2,787 g/t over 7 meters. Another notable result came from hole ZG-RC-24-452, which returned 1,364 g/t silver over 14 meters, including 2,433 g/t over 6 meters.
Perhaps most intriguing are the results from depth near the granite contact. Hole ZG-SF-24-209 intercepted 1,756 g/t silver over 4.5 meters, including an impressive 6,800 g/t over 1 meter. These findings suggest the presence of an additional high-grade zone to the west, near a fault line, which could significantly expand Zgounder’s resource potential at depth.
Benoit La Salle, President and CEO of Aya Gold & Silver, expressed optimism about the results. “Today’s high-grade silver drill results… confirm the presence of an additional high-grade zone to the west by the fault, reinforcing the potential to expand Zgounder resources at depth,” he stated. La Salle also highlighted the importance of the high-grade intercepts near the open-pit area, noting that they “confirm the continuity of high-grade mineralization to the east, supporting our confidence in extending the open-pit operation”.
The exploration program at Zgounder is ongoing, with two underground rigs and one reverse circulation rig currently active. The company expects a steady flow of results in the coming months, which should provide further insights into the mine’s resource potential.
These latest results come on the heels of Aya’s recent operational milestones at Zgounder. In January 2025, the company announced that it had surpassed the nameplate milling capacity at the mine’s new processing plant. Over a 30-day period ending January 20, 2025, the new plant processed an average of 2,200 tonnes per day, equivalent to 110% of nameplate capacity.
The Zgounder mine began commercial production from its expanded facilities on December 29, 2024, less than two months after the new plant started processing ore. This rapid ramp-up, coupled with the promising exploration results, positions Aya Gold & Silver for potential growth in the silver mining sector.
With 2,653 meters drilled in the 2025 exploration program to date and more results expected, Aya Gold & Silver appears poised to further enhance its understanding of the Zgounder deposit and potentially increase its resource base.
