Aston Minerals Limited announced the results of a gravity based metallurgical beneficiation testwork that was undertaken by SGS Lakefield Ontario on gold mineralisation from Edleston Main Zone. SGX Resources provided two composite samples from Edleston Main Zone in 2013 to SGS Lakefield Ontario Laboratory. The samples were identified as E-1, weighing 2,940.92g and E-2 weighing 2,497.54g.

Representative sub samples were riffled out for chemical analysis, XRD and QUEMSCAN. The majority of the sample was prepared for gold deportment studies. Approximately 1,000g of each of E-1 and E-2 as received samples were used for pre-concentration.

All samples were pre-concentrated by heavy liquid separation (HLS) at a specific gravity (SG) of 3.3 (E-1) and 3.28 (E-2) to obtain a sink fraction (consisting mainly of sulphides, oxides and heavy silicate minerals) and a float fraction (consisting of mainly silicates with disseminated sulphides or oxides). Representative sub samples weighing 20 to 60g each were riffled from the as-received samples for testing. Sub samples were pulverized and submitted for whole rock analysis for major elements, Fe, As and S pulp assays and Au by fire assay.

For sample E-1, 78.1% of the gold grade was distributed in the HLS sink fraction (SG 3.3) which accounts for 6.45% of the total, mass, 21.9% of the gold grade remained in the HLS float, accounting for the balance of the remaining mass. For sample E-2, 64.1% of the gold grade was distributed in the HLS sink fraction (SG 3.28), which accounts for 9.43% of the total mass, 35.9% remained in the HLS float, accounting for the balance of the remaining mass. A total of 60 gold mineral grains were analyzed by SEM-EDS for sample E-1. These values were determined using standardless SEM-EDS semi-quantitative analysis.

Most of the grains are native gold (Au >75%, Ag <25%) with few petzite (Ag3AuTe2) grains. The average chemical composition was 85.9% Au and 12.3% Ag as native gold and 16.5% Au and 46.5% Ag as petzite. A total of 59 gold mineral grains were analysed by SEM-EDS for sample E-2. These values were determined using standardless SEM-EDS semi-quantitative analysis.

Most of the grains are native gold (Au >75%, Ag <25%), with an average chemical composition of 83.9% Au and 14.3% Ag. The Edleston Project is located approximately 60km via road to the south of Timmins, Ontario, Canada. The towns of Timmins and Kirkland Lake are located close by and host significant former and current producers, with required services and skilled labour available to support exploration and development of the Project.

The Project is located within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt of Archean metavolcanic and medisedimentary units that have been steeply folded with axes trending in general east-west orientation. The Boomerang Target is interpreted to be a Dunite/Peridotite unit which has undergone extensive serpentinisation. This process of is responsible for the reaction of olivine to produce magnetite and brucite, resulting in a strongly reducing environment whereby nickel is released from decomposition of olivine.

The nickel which has been released is typically partitioned into low sulphur nickel sulphide minerals. Due to the magnetite association with mineralisation, a 3D inversion model of magnetics has been generated and has been utilised to assist with targeting.