Ashton raises $2.6m

Proceeds from a $2.6-million share offering will be used by Ashton Mining of Canada (ACA-T) for ongoing diamond exploration at its projects in Quebec, Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The Rio Tinto (RTP-N) group, which continues to shop around its controlling stake in Ashton, took down $2 million worth of shares; it now holds 67% of the junior’s 40.9 million shares outstanding. Two companies of the Rio Tinto group subscribed to 857,000 flow-through shares at 70 per share and 2.1 million common shares at 67 apiece.