Aurania identifies areas of metal enrichment that refine the epithermal target at Yawi

Soil Geochemistry Results

Ridge and spur soil sampling has defined two distinct areas of metal enrichment that are roughly perpendicular to the slope of the topography (Figure 1).   The two zones are up to 250 metres wide and are separated by a horizontal distance of approximately 500 metres, and 200 metres in elevation.  The areas of metal concentration are open to the east and west, where additional soil sampling is required to determine the full extent of the area of enrichment.  Silver, which has proven to be relatively immobile in soils in the Cutucu mountain range, is broadly coincident with naturally-occurring arsenic, antimony, selenium, thallium, mercury and molybdenum.   The suite of pathfinder elements is consistent with the upper parts of a “low sulphidation” gold-silver epithermal target. 

Sinter Textures & Telescoping

The Yawi target has some of the clearest sinter textures found in the Project area to date.  Chalcedony-encrusted fossilized twigs and branches found at Yawi (Figure 2) are similar to those that can be seen forming in Yellowstone National Park today where vegetation on the edge of geyser pools is being splashed with hot silica-saturated water.  Silica precipitates as a gel as the water cools, leaving the vegetation encrusted in silica that hardens as it dries. 

Sinter, or silica platforms formed in geyser fields, are located at a similar altitude as the lower area of metal enrichment in soil at Yawi.  This suggests that there was “telescoping” of the epithermal system – that the lower-elevation metal enrichment and associated sinter formed after the higher-elevation enrichment area had been partially eroded (Figure 3).  The implication of telescoping is that different mineralization levels may be superimposed – for instance, the volatile-rich upper part of the sinter-related zone may be overprinted on, or juxtaposed to, the precious-metal zone of the earlier and higher-level system.

Next Steps

Detailed field mapping is underway while the ridge and spur soil sampling is being completed.  Additional soil sampling will probably be required on a grid pattern to augment the ridge and spur sampling to more precisely define the location and shape of the zones of metal and pathfinder enrichment at Yawi.     

Sample Analysis & QAQC

Approximately one kilogram of material was collected from the iron-rich “B” horizon of the soil profile at each sample point (black dots on Figure 1).  The samples were sent in batches to ALS’s preparation lab in Quito for drying and screening at 80 mesh (approximately 0.18 millimetre apertures).  A split of 250 grams was taken at the preparation lab and shipped to Lima, Peru, for analysis by ICP-MS, and for gold by fire assay with an ICP-AES finish. 

A certified standard pulp sample, alternating with a field blank, was inserted approximately every twentieth sample.  Analysis of the QAQC samples showed the batches reported on above to lie within acceptable limits.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release has been verified and approved by Jean-Paul Pallier, MSc.  Mr. Pallier is a designated EurGeol by the European Federation of Geologists and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

About Aurania

Aurania is a junior exploration mining company engaged in the identification, evaluation, acquisition and exploration of mineral property interests, with a focus on precious metals and copper.  Its flagship asset, The Lost Cities – Cutucu Project, is located in the Jurassic Metallogenic Belt in the eastern foothills of the Andes mountain range of southeastern Ecuador.

Information on Aurania and technical reports are available at www.aurania.com and www.sedar.com, as well as on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/auranialtd/, Twitter at  https://twitter.com/auranialtd, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/aurania-resources-ltd-.

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Forward-Looking Statements

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