Gold Reserve Inc. (NYSE Alternext:GRZ) (TSX:GRZ) today announced that
its Board of Directors cautions the Company’s shareholders to carefully
assess the compilation of select fourth quarter results announced
yesterday by Rusoro Mining Ltd. ("Rusoro”) (TSX-V:RML.V).
The Board notes that a number of Rusoro’s quarterly filings with the
TSX-V over the last two years have been delinquent and, given the timing
of this recent report, shareholders are urged to wait and read Rusoro’s
audited annual financial report to fully understand Rusoro’s operating
and financial performance for 2008 and its plans for 2009.
The Board has a number of concerns regarding Rusoro’s selective results,
including Rusoro’s report of its "record” performance at Choco 10. The
inclusion of high-grade ore from the short-lived Isidora deposit appears
to skew the results attributable to the Choco 10 mine on a standalone
basis.
Based on the material concerns originally raised by our financial and
technical experts as detailed in the Company’s Directors’ Circular, the
Board recommends Gold Reserve shareholders consider the following
questions so that they can judge if the reported results are sustainable
or transitory.
-
What were the individual tonnes and ore grade processed from Choco 10
and Isidora? How much of this production came from stockpiled material
from Isidora?
-
What was the ore grade compared to the reserve grade, recovery and
strip ratio as well as cash operating costs for the Choco 10 mine on a
standalone basis? Is the Choco 10 mine able to sustain itself without
the high grade ore from Isidora which, based on Rusoro’s August 1,
2008 NI43-101 page 6, is expected to cease production in 6 to 14
months?
-
What was Rusoro’s share of production from Isidora given Isidora is a
50:50 joint venture with the Venezuelan Government? Has Rusoro
satisfied its obligations to its partner and are the joint venture
formalities complete?
-
What will be the impact on cash costs as a result of Rusoro’s plan to
process Increible 6 material at the Choco 10 mill, displacing higher
grade ore from Choco 10? The reserve grade at Choco 10 is 3.21 g/t Au
or approximately 50% greater than the Increible 6 resource grade.
-
What is the timetable for Increible 6? Rusoro says the Increible 6
technical, financial and environmental study has been approved by
MIBAM and production will commence in the fourth quarter 2009 yet
Increible 6 has no defined reserves, only an indicated resource. When
will the "scoping study” be available?
-
What was the impact of the reported "record” performance on Rusoro’s
overall financial position? What was the total "positive cash flow”
for the quarter and what’s Rusoro’s current cash position and its
liquidity outlook for 2009?
-
The report did not address the price of gold sales. Are gold sales
still being made at a significant discount to the international spot
price (26% discount for the nine months ended September 30, 2008)?
Detailed operating results by deposit including such information as
disclosed on page 3 of Rusoro’s September 30, 2008 Management’s
Discussion and Analysis is or should be available to Rusoro management
and made available to Gold Reserve shareholders.
In its Directors’ Circular and Schedule 14D-9, the Gold Reserve Board
strongly recommends that all Gold Reserve shareholders reject the Rusoro
Offer and not tender their shares. Shareholders are encouraged to read
the Company’s Directors’ Circular and Schedule 14D-9, which are
available at www.sedar.com
or www.sec.gov
respectively, to carefully consider the reasons for the Board’s
recommendation.
Gold Reserve Inc. is a Canadian company, which holds the rights to the
Brisas gold/copper project and the Choco 5 gold exploration property in
Bolivar State, Venezuela.
Certain statements included herein may constitute "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("PSLRA”), provided that statements made
solely in connection with Rusoro’s offer are not subject to the safe
harbor protections provided to forward-looking statements under the
PSLRA. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of
estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by
management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business,
economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies.
We
caution that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other risks that may cause the actual financial
results, performance, or achievements of Gold Reserve Inc. to be
materially different from our estimated future results, performance, or
achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements.
Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation,
concentration of operations and assets in Venezuela; corruption and
uncertain legal enforcement; requests for improper payments; regulatory,
political and economic risks associated with Venezuelan operations
(including changes in previously established legal regimes, rules or
processes); the ability to obtain or maintain the necessary permits or
additional funding for the development of the Brisas Project; in the
event any key findings or assumptions previously determined by us or our
experts in conjunction with our 2005 bankable feasibility study (as
updated or modified from time to time) significantly differ or change as
a result of actual results in our expected construction and production
at the Brisas Project (including capital and operating cost estimates);
risk that actual mineral reserves may vary considerably from estimates
presently made; impact of currency, metal prices and metal production
volatility; fluctuations in energy prices; changes in proposed
development plans (including technology used); our dependence upon the
abilities and continued participation of certain key employees; and
risks normally incident to the operation and development of mining
properties. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect
any of the Company's forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned
not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All subsequent
written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company
or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their
entirety by this notice. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation
to update publicly forward-looking statements herein, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to its
disclosure obligations under applicable rules promulgated by the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Gold Reserve Board strongly recommends that all Gold Reserve
shareholders reject the Rusoro Offer.