TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - AuRico Gold Inc. (TSX:AUQ) (NYSE: AUQ), ("AuRico" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its exploration program at the El Chanate mine located in Sonora, Mexico. The objective of the 2013 program is to further delineate mineralization within the existing open pit and expand the known mineralization along the Chanate trend in order to potentially convert this mineralization into mineral resources.

El Chanate Exploration Program

Since May, two reverse circulation drills have completed 80 holes (19,175 metres) to date within the current open pit and in the three target areas located along trend of the open pit (Rono, North West Extension and Loma Prieta) (Figure 1).

The drilling program within the current open pit has intersected a new type of mineralization below the ultimate open pit floor, which is significantly higher in grade than the current reserve grade and is hosted within a strongly silicified siltstone adjacent to a fault structure. Drilling highlights include:

Outside the open pit, the drilling program is focused on three targeted areas along the Chanate Fault:

• The North West Extension area, located 50 metres northwest of the ultimate open pit design (Figure 2), where 24 of 26 holes intersected grades that are equal to, or exceed, current cut-off grades;
  

• The Rono target area, located 600 metres northwest of the ultimate open pit design (Figure 3), where 19 of 23 holes drilled in 2012 and 2013 intersected a broad zone of gold mineralization with grades that are equal to, or exceed, current cut-off grades; and

• The Loma Prieta target area, located 1.2 kilometres southeast of the ultimate open pit (Figure 4), where 11 of 18 holes have intersected a quartz vein structure with grades that are equal to, or exceed, current cut-off grades.

Drilling highlights include:

El Chanate Expanded Land Package

On June 28^th AuRico completed an Option/Joint Venture agreement with Highvista Gold to explore approximately 11,600 hectares of claims located to the northwest of the open pit that provides access to an additional 15-20 km of the El Chanate Fault (Figure 5). The agreement grants AuRico the option to earn a 51% undivided interest in the El Chanate Extension by incurring an aggregate of $3 million in exploration expenditures over the next three years. The Company can earn a further 19% interest in the joint venture (bringing its aggregate interest to 70%) by funding the preparation of a feasibility or prefeasibility study on the property.

"The 2013 exploration program continues to report encouraging results from both the in-pit drilling program where intercepts reported grades significantly higher than reserve grades, as well as from the target areas that lie along the Chanate fault where the majority of holes were higher than current cut-off grades," stated Chris Rockingham, V.P. Exploration. He continued, "The results to date provide additional confidence in the potential for resource growth and mine life extension at El Chanate."

Quality Control - Analyses and Sample Location

Details of quality assurance/quality control procedures for sample analysis and drill hole survey methodology are reported in the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") compliant Technical Reports filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) on November 27, 2009 for El Chanate. Gold analyses for the project were performed by an accredited commercial laboratory using standard fire assay procedures with an AA finish. The Company maintains a Quality Assurance - Quality Control program including the insertion of commercial certified reference materials (CRM's) and blanks in all its assay programs. Sample lengths are not necessarily true widths.

Qualified Persons

The program design, implementation, quality assurance/quality control and interpretation of the results are under the control of AuRico's geological staff, which includes a number of individuals who are qualified persons as defined under NI 43-101. Christopher Rockingham, P. Geol., V.P. Exploration, is responsible for the overall supervision of the program at El Chanate.

About AuRico Gold

AuRico Gold is a leading Canadian gold producer with mines and projects in North America that have solid production growth and exploration potential. The Company is focused on its core operations including the Young-Davidson gold mine in northern Ontario and the El Chanate mine in Sonora State, Mexico. AuRico's project pipeline also includes development opportunities in Canada and Mexico. AuRico's head office is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information as defined under Canadian and U.S. securities laws.  All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "will", "intend", "estimate", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include information as to strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance, such as the Company's expansion plans, project timelines, production plans, projected cash flows or capital expenditures, cost estimates, projected exploration results, reserve and resource estimates and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include: uncertainty of production and cost estimates; fluctuations in the price of gold and foreign exchange rates; the uncertainty of replacing depleted reserves; the risk that the Young-Davidson and El Chanate mine may not perform as planned; the risk that projects will not be developed accordingly to established budgets or timelines; changes in laws or regulations in Canada, Mexico and other jurisdictions in which the Company may carry on business; risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits, authorizations or approvals for operations or projects such as Kemess; contests over title to properties; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; risks related to aboriginal title claims; compliance risks with respect to current and future environmental regulations; disruptions affecting operations; opportunities that may be pursued by the Company; employee relations; availability and costs of mining inputs and labor; the ability to secure capital to execute business plans; volatility of the Company's share price; any decision to declare dividends; the implementation and continued availability of the dividend reinvestment plan; the effect of future financings; litigation; risk of loss due to sabotage and civil disturbances; the values of assets and liabilities based on projected future cash flows; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; risks arising from the absence of hedging; adequacy of internal control over financial reporting; changes in our credit rating; and the impact of inflation.

Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including assumptions about: business and economic conditions; commodity prices and the price of key inputs such as labour, fuel and electricity; credit market conditions and conditions in financial markets generally; revenue and cash flow estimates, production levels, development schedules and the associated costs; our ability to procure equipment and supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis; the timing of the receipt of permits and other approvals for our projects and operations; our ability to attract and retain skilled employees and contractors for our operations; the accuracy of our reserve and resource estimates; the impact of changes in currency exchange rates on our costs and results; interest rates; taxation; and our ongoing relations with our employees and business partners.

The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Concerning Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources

This press release uses the terms "measured," "indicated" and "inferred" resources.  We advise investors that while those terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them.  "Inferred" resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred 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 other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.

SOURCE AuRico Gold Inc.

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