Aya Gold & Silver has bought new mining assets in Morocco, adding nearly 259 square kilometres to its exploration portfolio as it looks for more silver, gold and critical minerals. The deal includes three mining licences and 18 research permits across the Zagora, Agadir-Melloul and Goulmim areas. It increases the company’s total land holdings in Morocco from about 732 km² at the start of 2026 to more than 991 km², a 35.4% increase.
Aya paid MAD10 million (about US$1.02 million) for the assets through a mix of cash and assumed debt. The sellers will also receive future milestone payments linked to resource discoveries and project development. They will keep a 2% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on any future commercial production, although Aya can buy back all or part of that royalty under agreed terms.
The company plans to begin exploration over the next 18 to 24 months. Early work will include stream sediment sampling, hyperspectral surveys, geological mapping and prospecting. Drilling or geophysical surveys could follow if the results are encouraging.
Zagora is the biggest of the three projects. It covers 158.6 km² and includes 11 research permits. The area is considered prospective for nickel, cobalt, lead, zinc, silver and gold.
Agadir-Melloul covers 68.5 km² and includes three mining licences and five research permits. Exploration will focus on copper, silver, gold and rare earth elements. The area’s geology is similar to several known mineral deposits in the Anti-Atlas.
The Goulmim project covers 32 km² across two research permits. It has potential for lead, silver, copper and gold and shares geological features with the company’s Boumadine project.
The acquisition marks a wider push into critical minerals. Alongside silver and gold, the new projects contain minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements, which are in growing demand for electric vehicles, batteries and other clean energy technologies.
The expansion comes as Aya reports strong operating results. The company produced a record 1.68 million silver-equivalent ounces in the second quarter of 2026. Its Zgounder processing plant also reached 3,889 tonnes per day, above its original design capacity.
Aya Gold & Silver is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. The company operates the Zgounder Silver Mine, about 260 kilometres east of Agadir, and is developing the Boumadine polymetallic project, which contains silver, gold, lead and zinc. It has a market value of about US$2.7 billion (C$3.77 billion).
