Aya Gold & Silver (TSX:AYA) has acquired three exploration projects covering 259km2 in Morocco to expand its district-scale exploration strategy.
The portfolio comprises three mining licences and 18 exploration permits across the Zagora, Agadir-Melloul, and Goulmim projects, targeting precious, base, and critical metals in underexplored mineral belts.
The acquisition increases Aya’s total land package from approximately 732km2 to more than 991km2, representing a 35.4% expansion in 2026.
CEO Benoit La Salle says the acquisition reinforces the company’s ‘first-mover’ advantage in Morocco and advances its strategy of “building one of the largest exploration portfolios in the country”.
“We continue to secure district-scale positions early, consolidate highly prospective mineral belts, and build a pipeline of exploration opportunities that have the potential to unlock future discoveries and support Aya’s next phase of long-term growth,” La Salle Says.
The Zagora Project covers 158.6km2 across 11 exploration permits, targeting nickel, cobalt, lead, zinc, silver, and gold mineralisation.
Meanwhile, the Agadir-Melloul Project spans 68.5km2 through three mining licences and five exploration permits across two blocks. The northern block hosts copper-silver mineralisation, while the southern block contains felsic intrusions with potential gold mineralisation.
Finally, the Goulmim Project covers 32km2 in two contiguous research permits with potential for lead, silver, copper, and gold mineralisation.
Aya acquired the portfolio for 10 million Moroccan dirhams ($1.52 million) through cash and assumed debt. The sellers retain milestone payments based on future achievements, plus a 2% net smelter return royalty on commercial production, which Aya can repurchase under predetermined conditions.
The company is planning an 18 to 24-month greenfield exploration program involving stream sediment geochemistry, hyperspectral studies, mapping, and prospecting to determine future geophysics and drilling targets.
Aya Gold & Silver is a Canadian precious metal mining company anchored in Morocco focused on expanding its resource base and land package across the Anti-Atlas fault in Africa.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
