* Vista Gold Corp. Announces Luzon Minerals Ltd. Elects Not To Exercise Option To Purchase Amayapampa Gold Project In Bolivia
DENVER, Nov 20, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Vista Gold Corp. (TSX & Amex: VGZ) announced today that Luzon Minerals Ltd. has decided not to exercise its option to acquire from Vista the Amayapampa Gold Project in Bolivia, citing its inability to advance the project with its current financial and personnel resources. Luzon had an option to acquire Vista's interest in the project from Vista pursuant to an option agreement dated March 13, 2007 (see Vista's press release dated March 14, 2007). Vista and Luzon have entered into an agreement regarding the termination of the option agreement and the terms on which Luzon's outstanding obligations with respect to the project will be satisfied.
Mike Richings, Vista's Executive Chairman and CEO, commented on the news: "We have been concerned about the slow progress at the Amayapampa project during these times of high gold prices and recognized that continued delay in placing the project into production might not be well received by the local community. Vista plans to continue to advance the project while seeking a partner or buyer with the financial and personnel resources to manage and develop the project and commence commercial gold production in the shortest time possible. Vista plans to engage consultants and commence a work program to upgrade the scoping study completed by Luzon (initially filed on SEDAR under Luzon Minerals Ltd. and subsequently by Vista on October 18, 2006) to a feasibility study. We remain confident that the project is an attractive project at today's gold prices. Employee training, which Luzon had started, utilizing the services of professional trainers, will continue and the workers will be provided opportunities to participate in the on-site activities related to the proposed work program as plans for the program are developed."
About Vista Gold Corp.
Since 2001, Vista has acquired a number of gold projects with the expectation that higher gold prices would significantly increase their value. As gold prices have risen, Vista has completed various preliminary evaluations that have demonstrated that some of the projects would be potentially viable operations at current gold prices. Vista is undertaking technical programs to bring the most advanced projects to the point where decisions can be made to put these projects into production, either by Vista, or through sale or joint venture to other mining companies. Vista's holdings include the Paredones Amarillos and Guadalupe de los Reyes Projects in Mexico, Mt. Todd Project in Australia, Yellow Pine Project in Idaho, Awak Mas Project in Indonesia, Long Valley Project in California, and the Amayapampa Project in Bolivia.