Mr. Ernest Mast reports

PRIMERO ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF DAMIEN MARANTELLI AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Primero Mining Corp. has appointed Damien Marantelli as chief operating officer, effective Oct. 6, 2016.

Mr. Marantelli brings over 35 years of international experience in the mining industry, including senior management positions with First Quantum, Inmet and WMC Resources. Mr. Marantelli has successfully managed development, construction and operations across a variety of commodities and is an experienced mining engineer. Previously, Mr. Marantelli held the role of general manager of the Sentinel copper mine in development by First Quantum Minerals, where he was responsible for leading approximately 3,500 employees through the final stages of commissioning and ramp-up of open-pit operations. He was also the managing director of First Quantum's (previously Inmet) Las Cruces copper mine and the managing director of the Cayeli underground copper and zinc mine. Prior to his experiences with First Quantum/Inmet, Mr. Marantelli was the general manager of BHP Billiton's (previously WMC Resources) Mount Keith operations and oversaw the expansion of annual capacity from 18 million to 40 million bank cubic metres per year over a two-year period.

"I am very pleased to welcome Damien to the Primero team," said Ernest Mast, president and chief executive officer. "He brings to Primero strong international mining experience and a hands-on approach in the areas of health and safety, business improvement, and strategic planning. He has a robust background in operations and a track record of increasing productivity in challenging operational environments. I look forward to working with him to achieve our goal of building Primero into a leading mid-tier gold producer."

Mr. Marantelli received a diploma of engineering (mining) from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and a diploma of business (frontline management) from Excel Consulting Australia. He is a long-standing member of the Australian Institute of Mining & Metallurgical Engineers.

Primero Mining owns 100 per cent of the San Dimas gold-silver mine and the Cerro del Gallo gold-silver-copper development project in Mexico, and 100 per cent of the Black Fox mine and adjoining properties in the township of Black River-Matheson near Timmins, Ont., Canada. Primero offers immediate exposure to unhedged, below-average-cash-cost gold production with a substantial resource base in politically stable jurisdictions.