Aton Resources Inc. updated investors on the first results from the recent reverse circulation percussion drilling at the Semna prospect, located within its 100% owned Abu Marawat Concession, in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. 21 holes were drilled at the Semna prospect, for a total of 3,662m, during the recently completed RC drilling programme; Preliminary results of 4m composite sampling are now available for the first 17 holes, SMP-001 to SMP-016, with 9 of the holes of targeting the Main Vein zone; 8 out of the 9 holes targeting the Main Vein zone intersected moderate to high grade gold mineralisation; Significant mineralized intersections from the Semna Main Vein zone included 14.63 g/t Au over a 12m interval (hole SMP-016); 29.8 g/t Auover a 4m interval (hole SMP-003); 7.03 g/t Auover a 4m interval (hole SMP-007) and 6.27 g/t Au over a 4m interval (hole SMP-006) Drilling and underground mapping indicates that the mineralisation along the Main Vein zone appears to be generally quite consistent, and is open both along strike and continues at depth beneath the underground workings of the early twentieth century British mine at Semna. The Semna prospect is located approximately 27km east-northeast of the Hamama West deposit and 13km north-northeast of the Rodruin deposit, and is accessed via desert tracks from either Hamama, Rodruin or the Abu Marawat deposit to the north (Figure 1).

The Semna area has a long history of gold mining, during both ancient and modern times. There was archaeological evidence in the area suggesting that mining took place during the early Arab, Ptolemaic, and New Kingdom periods, and possibly dates back as far as the Old Kingdom period, over 4,500 years ago. In modern times, Semna was exploited between 1904 and 1906 by two British companies, the Eridia (Egypt) Exploring Company Limited and the Fatira (Egypt) Exploring Company Limited, which worked the Main Vein on two underground levels.

By about 1908 however, the British gold mining industry in Egypt had been almost totally eclipsed by the discovery of oil, and was more or less moribund. There was also some further development work carried out at Semna in the 1950's by a subsidiary of the Egyptian Phosphate Company. It hasbeen reported that the Semna mine had the widest vein exploited during the British era of mining in Egypt, which reached up to 6m width in places, and the British companies reported mining grades of over 2 ounces per ton.

Reports from the British Mining Journal from 1905 indicated that some remnant pillars within the ancient Pharaonic-era stopes assayed up to 5.5 ounces per ton of gold. display: table-caption;caption-side:: Geology plan of the Abu Marawat Concession, showing the location of the Semna prospect The mineralisation at Semna appears to be mainly hosted in a granodiorite body that has been intruded into a package of mafic to intermediate composition metavolcanic rocks. Metasediments with BIF horizons outcrop to the west and north of the main Semna mine area.

Small bodies of outcropping pink granites, possibly related to the Younger Granite suite, outcrop approximately 750m south of the old mine workings. There are 4 distinct mineralised zones - the Main Vein and the South Vein zones have been the primary focus of historic mining, but there are also workings developed on the North Vein and the Central Vein zones. The mineralisation is strongly structurally controlled, and is hosted in a series of steeply south-dipping shear zones that contain the gold-bearing quartz veins.

These sub-parallel quartz veins strike approximately east-west and dip 60-75° to the south, but the dip and strike is quite variable within each vein, and the veins noticeably pinch and swell. The auriferous quartz veins carry variable amounts of accessory sulphide minerals, and are typically quite gossanous and rich in iron oxides at surface, as a response to weathering. Levels of copper are elevated, notably in the Main and North Vein zones.

Recent artisanal mining has now exposed the eastern end of the lower level of the twentieth century British mine workings, at an elevation of c. 565m, which allows easy access into the old workings. Company geologists have this year carried out an underground survey of the old workings. The survey was carried out using a Leica DistoX hand held laser, with inbuilt inclinometry and a sensitive magnetic compass for azimuth readings, and a traditional Silva mapping compass and tape measures for local measurements.

A series of primary stations were established along the lower 565m level and these were surveyed in using multiple foresights and backsights. The survey was tied into the Universal Transverse Mercator grid system using an external station which was sited a few metres outside the eastern entrance to the 565m level, and was accurately surveyed in using a Leica Viva GS15 differential GPS system, at the same time the drill hole collars were picked up.