Toronto Stock Exchange: VG
VANCOUVER, Jan. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Veris Gold Corp. ("Veris" or the "Company") (TSX: VG) (OTCQB: YNGFF)
(Frankfurt Xetra Exchange: NG6A) advises that it has received a notice of default dated January 28, 2014
from Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch ("DB"), with respect to payment
defaults under the forward gold purchase agreements between the Company
and DB.
The Notice of Default relates to the failure to make the monthly
December gold delivery, or pay the cash equivalent of the gold delivery
shortfall, for December, 2013, under each of the Forward Gold Purchase
Agreements dated August 12, 2011, and the Second Lien Forward Gold
Purchase Agreement dated as of February 7, 2012, each among DB and the
Company and certain of its affiliates. The two agreements are
described in more detail in the Company's news releases dated August
15, 2011 and February 8, 2012.
The Company was unable to make the scheduled December 2013 gold delivery
under each of the two forward gold purchase agreements due to an
electrical accident resulting in a fire that occurred in the primary
crushing building located at the Jerritt Canyon mill operations. The
fire resulted in a temporary suspension of operations, which negatively
affected production during the month of December 2013. The forward
gold purchase agreements with DB do not contain a "force majeure"
provision.
DB has advised the Company that it is considering what actions, if any,
it may wish to make in response to the contract concerning this event.
These actions include an assignment of DB's rights and obligations
under the agreements to a third party or realizing on the security
pledged, being the Company's direct and indirect interest in the
Jerritt Canyon Mine in Nevada.
DB has recently announced the closure and divestiture of its mining loan
portfolio over the next few months; the Company has commenced
negotiations with several third parties for the purchase of the
existing DB forward gold loans with restructured and lengthier terms.
The Company will announce proposed future refinancing and restructuring
plans concerning capital, debt and strategy in due course.
About Veris Gold Corp.
Veris Gold Corp. is a growing mid-tier North American gold producer in
the business of developing and operating gold mines in geo-politically
stable jurisdictions. The Company's primary assets are the permitted
and operating Jerritt Canyon processing plant and gold mines located 50
miles north of Elko, Nevada, USA. The Company's primary focus is on
the re-development of the Jerritt Canyon mining and processing plant.
The Company also holds a portfolio of precious metals properties in
British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, Canada, including the Ketza
River Property.
On behalf of
"VERIS GOLD CORP."
François Marland
President and CEO
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The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release. All material information may be
accessed at www.sedar.com.
Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and
"forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable
securities regulations in Canada and the United States (collectively,
"forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information includes,
but is not limited to, statements with respect to estimated mineral
resources, anticipated effect of the completed drill results on the
operations at Jerritt Canyon, the interpretation of those results, and
timing and expectations of future work programs. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as "plans", "expects, "is expected", "budget", "scheduled",
"estimates", forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", "has
the potential" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and
phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may",
"could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.
The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based
on certain assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable,
including, with respect to mineral resource estimates, the key
assumptions and parameters on which such estimates are based, as set
out in this news release and the technical report for the property,
that the current price of and demand for gold will be sustained or will
improve, the supply of gold will remain stable, that the general
business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse
manner, that financing will be available if and when needed on
reasonable terms and that the Company will not experience any material
accident, labor dispute, or failure of plant or equipment.
However, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among
others, conclusions of economic evaluations, the risk that actual
results of exploration activities will be different than anticipated,
that cost of labour, equipment or materials will increase more than
expected, that the future price of gold will decline, that mineral
resources and reserves are not as estimated, that actual costs or
actual results of reclamation activities are greater than expected;
that changes in operations may result in increased costs, unexpected
variations in mineral resources and reserves, grade or recovery rates,
failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated,
accidents, labour disputes and other risks generally associated with
mining. See our Annual Information Form for additional information on
risks, uncertainties and other related factors. Although the Company
has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking
statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such
statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update
any forward-looking statements that are incorporated by reference
herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
SOURCE Veris Gold Corp.