The acquisition strengthens Aya Gold & Silver’s presence in underexplored, high-potential mining regions while broadening its exposure to a range of precious, base and critical metals.
The move forms part of the company’s strategy to expand around its existing assets—including the Zgounder mine—while building a district-scale exploration portfolio.
Three high-potential projects
The newly acquired portfolio consists of three projects located in promising mineral belts.
The largest, the Zagora project, covers 158.6 square kilometers across 11 exploration permits. It is considered prospective for nickel, cobalt, lead, zinc, silver and gold mineralization. Field observations, including the presence of pentlandite, galena and sphalerite, have confirmed the area’s geological potential.
At Agadir-Aït Melloul, Aya has acquired a 68.5-square-kilometer package comprising three mining licenses and five exploration permits. The project is considered prospective for copper, silver and gold, as well as rare earth elements, within a geological setting comparable to several deposits in the Anti-Atlas region.
The third project, Guelmim, spans 32 square kilometers and is considered prospective for lead, silver, copper and gold mineralization in a geological environment similar to that of Aya’s Boumadine project.
With the acquisition, Aya Gold & Silver has significantly expanded its Moroccan land position. In 2026 alone, the company increased its exploration portfolio from 732 square kilometers to more than 991 square kilometers—an expansion of 35.4%.
“This acquisition strengthens our position as a leading explorer in Morocco and supports our ambition to build one of the country’s largest exploration portfolios,” said Benoit La Salle, the company’s President and General Director.
Exploration work to begin in 2026
Aya plans to launch an 18- to 24-month greenfield exploration program aimed at rapidly assessing the discovery potential of the newly acquired assets.
The program will include geochemical surveys, high-resolution hyperspectral studies, geological mapping and field prospecting.
The results will guide subsequent exploration phases, which may include geophysical surveys and drilling campaigns.
The portfolio was acquired for a total consideration of MAD 10 million through a combination of cash payment and assumed debt.
The agreement also includes contingent payments tied to future discoveries and project development, as well as a 2% royalty on revenues generated from any future commercial production.
