LITTLETON, COLORADO 80127
Trading
Symbol: VGZ
Toronto and NYSE Amex Stock Exchanges
___________________ NEWS ________________
Vista
Gold Corp. Announces Updated Mineral Resources for the Guadalupe de los Reyes
Gold Project
Denver, Colorado, September 3, 2009 – Vista Gold Corp. (“Vista”) (TSX
& NYSE Amex: VGZ) announced today the updated mineral resources for the
Guadalupe de los Reyes gold project in Sinaloa,
Mexico.
In January
2008, Vista consolidated the Guadalupe de los
Reyes District by acquiring the interests of Grandcru
Resources Corporation in the district. (Please refer to our December 19, 2007,
and January 24, 2008, press releases for details of the transaction.)
In July
2009, Vista retained Pincock, Allen & Holt
(“PAH”) of Lakewood, Colorado, to complete a
mineral resource estimation for the district. The mineral resource
estimate found in the following table has been adjusted to reflect material
removed from old underground workings.
Guadalupe de los
Reyes Project Mineral Resource Estimates
(0.50 g/t Cutoff)
|
|
Metric
Tonnes
|
Gold Grade
(g/t)
|
Contained
Gold Ounces
|
Silver
Grade
(g/t)
|
Contained
Silver Ounces
|
|
10,048,000
|
1.50
|
484,000
|
25.74
|
8,313,900
|
|
4,888,000
|
2.02
|
316,800
|
59.98
|
9,425,500
|
1)
Cautionary Note to U.S.
Investors concerning estimates of Indicated Resources: This table uses the term “measured
resources” and “indicated resources”. We advise U.S. investors that while this term
is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”) does not recognize it. The SEC normally
only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute
“reserves” as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The
term “contained gold ounces” used in this table is not permitted under the
rules of the SEC. U.S.
investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits
in these categories will ever be converted into reserves.
2)
Cautionary Note to U.S.
Investors concerning estimates of Inferred Resources: This table uses the
term “inferred resources”. We advise U.S. investors that while this term
is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the SEC does not recognize
it. “Inferred resources” have a great amount of uncertainty as to their
existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It
cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will
ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of
inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of a feasibility study or
prefeasibility studies, except in rare cases. The SEC
normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute
“reserves” as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The
term “contained gold ounces” used in this press release is not permitted under
the rules of the SEC. U.S.
investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of an inferred
resource exists or is economically or legally minable.
The updated
gold resource estimate was completed on August 12, 2009, by PAH, pursuant to
Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”). This updated gold
resource estimate was completed by or under the supervision of Mr. Leonel López, C.P.G., an
independent Qualified Person, (as defined in NI 43-101), utilizing standard
industry software and resource estimation methodology. Mr. López has reviewed and verified the technical and
scientific information contained in this press release. For more
information on the Guadalupe de los Reyes project and the updated mineral
resource estimate, refer to the report entitled “Technical Report for the
Guadalupe de los Reyes Gold-Silver Project, Sinaloa, Mexico” dated August 12,
2009, which has been filed on SEDAR simultaneously with this press release.
Since
consolidating its position in the district, Vista has completed a data
compilation program which has led Vista to its
belief that the district’s mineral potential has not been fully assessed. Frank
Fenne, Vista’s Vice
President – Exploration commented, “Low-sulfidation
epithermal systems like the one found at Guadalupe de los Reyes can form
world-class deposits. The vein systems at Guadalupe de los Reyes aggregate
over 8.5 km
of strike length and historic workings on a small part of the system indicate
over 400 meters
of vertical continuity of mineralization. Previous exploration in the Guadalupe
de los Reyes District has focused on shallow, open-pitable
targets. The underground potential has never been explored by modern
methods and we believe there is excellent exploration potential for high-grade
underground deposits.”
Since 2001,
Vista has acquired a number of gold projects
with the expectation that higher gold prices would increase their value. For
more information about our projects, including technical studies and resource
estimates, please visit our website at www.vistagold.com. Vista has taken steps to advance
the Paredones Amarillos
gold project located in Baja California Sur, Mexico,
towards production. These steps include the completion of a definitive
feasibility study, the purchase of long-delivery processing equipment, and the
purchase of land for the processing facilities, related infrastructure and the
desalination plant. The results of a preliminary economic assessment completed
in 2009 on the Mt. Todd gold project in Australia
are encouraging and Vista is undertaking other
studies to advance the project, with the completion of a preliminary
feasibility study targeted for the fourth quarter of 2009. Vista’s other
holdings include the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold project in Mexico, the Yellow
Pine gold project in Idaho, the Awak Mas gold project in Indonesia, and the Long Valley gold
project in California.
This press
release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and U.S. Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and forward-looking information within the
meaning of Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements
of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities,
events or developments that Vista expects or anticipates will or may occur in
the future, including such things as the estimates of mineral resources for the
Guadalupe de los Reyes gold project, exploration potential for open-pit and
underground gold resources for the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold project , the
continuity and strike length of ore for the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold
project, , ,the timing and outcome of a Mt. Todd pre-feasibility
study, estimates of future operating, annual production and financial
performance of the Mt. Todd gold project,, uncertainty of future gold prices,
future U.S.-to-Australian dollar exchange rates, , favorable
effects of Mt. Todd project economics, Vista’s ability to add value in a
cost-effective manner, plans for the construction and development of the Paredones Amarillos gold project,
and the possibility of production at the Paredones Amarillos gold project and other such matters are
forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. When used in this
press release, the words “potential,” “target,” “estimate,” “indicate,”
“expect,” “intend,” “hopes,” “believe,” “may,” “will,” “if” and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and
forward-looking information. These statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of Vista to be
materially different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among
others, uncertainty of resource estimate results and assumptions and
methodology on which such results are based; risks relating to completing
metallurgical testing and scheduling for pre-feasibility studies; risks
relating to delays at the Mt. Todd gold project; risks of shortages of
equipment or supplies; risks relating to fluctuations in the price of gold; the
inherently hazardous nature of mining-related activities; risks relating to
permitting, potential effects on Vista’s operations of environmental
regulations in the countries in which it operates; risks due to legal
proceedings; risks relating to political and economic instability in certain
countries in which it operates; risks related to repayment of debt; risks
related to increased leverage and uncertainty of being able to raise capital on
favorable terms or at all; as well as those factors
discussed in Vista’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended and
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulatory
authorities. Although Vista has attempted
to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those described in forward-looking statements and
forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not
to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Except as
required by law, Vista assumes no obligation
to publicly update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking
information; whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
All mineral
reserves and resources have been estimated in accordance with the definition
standards on mineral resources and mineral reserves of the Canadian Institute
of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum referred to in National Instrument 43-101,
commonly referred to as NI 43-101. U.S. reporting requirements for
disclosure of mineral properties are governed by the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) Industry Guide 7. Canadian and Guide 7 standards
are substantially different and the information contained in this press release
and the updated resource estimate are not comparable to similar information
disclosed by U.S.
companies. This press release and the updated resource estimate referenced in
this press release use the terms “measured,” “indicated,” and “inferred”
resources. We advise investors that while those terms are recognized and
required by Canadian regulations, the SEC does not recognize them. Inferred
mineral resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic
considerations applied to them that enable them to be categorized as mineral
reserves. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral
resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules,
estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility
or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. U.S. investors are cautioned not to
assume that part or all of an inferred resource exists, or is economically or
legally minable. U.S.
investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits
in these categories will ever be converted into reserves.