Pretivm Reports COVID-19 Outbreak at Brucejack, Temporarily Restricts Travel

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX/NYSE: PVG) (“Pretivm” or the “Company”) today announces that a Covid-19 outbreak has been verbally declared at the Brucejack Mine by the BC Northern Health Medical Health Officer. To protect the health and safety of our workforce and local communities, the Company has implemented enhanced outbreak protocols which include restrictions on travel to and from the Brucejack Mine Camp until site wide testing and an assessment by BC Northern Health can be completed.   

Currently, the Company is managing 14 cases of COVID-19 among employees and contractors at the Brucejack Mine, this includes those previously announced 9 cases (see news release dated February 7, 2021). All are in isolation, remain in good health and have exhibited limited symptoms. The Company has also become aware of employees and contractors who are currently off site and have contracted the virus. In partnership with local health authority, BC Northern Health, contact tracing was undertaken to determine the potential for additional exposures. Close contacts, identified through the tracing process, have been notified and moved into isolation. Isolation protocols will remain in effect for the duration established by BC Northern Health, with regular monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms.

“The health and safety of our workforce and surrounding communities remains our top priority and our primary focus is to support all employees and contractors at the mine site,” said Jacques Perron, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pretivm. “Following the information provided by BC Northern Health we have implemented travel restrictions, as part of our established outbreak protocols, to mitigate the risk of transmission and limit impacts.”

Operations continue at the Brucejack Mine and the Company will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates as appropriate.

The Company has established COVID-19 management plans and implemented enhanced protocols and preventative measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect the well-being of its employees, contractors, their families, local communities and other stakeholders. Pretivm continues to follow the stringent COVID-19 infection prevention guidance and directives of federal, provincial and regional authorities in respect of general and mine site-specific protocols and is working in close partnership with its medical service provider and BC Northern Health.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brucejack Mine has operated continuously under the directives provided by Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation Guidance to Mining and Smelting Operations during COVID-19; BC Ministry of Health, BC Centre for Disease Control: Protecting Industrial Camp Workers, Contractors, and Employers Working in the Agricultural, Forestry, and Natural Resource Sectors During the COVID-19 Pandemic (July 28, 2020); and all applicable orders issued by the Provincial Health Officer.

For more information on Pretivm’s approach to managing COVID-19, go to: https://www.pretivm.com/brucejack/Pretivms-COVID-19-Response/

About Pretivm

Pretivm is an intermediate gold producer with the high-grade gold underground Brucejack Mine.

For further information contact:

Troy Shultz
Manager, Investor Relations &
Corporate Communications

Pretium Resources Inc.
Suite 2300, Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street
PO Box 49334 Vancouver, BC V7X 1L4
(604) 558-1784
invest@pretivm.com
(SEDAR filings: Pretium Resources Inc.)

Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively herein referred to as “forward-looking information”), including the “safe harbour” provisions of Canadian provincial securities legislation and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Wherever possible, words such as “plans”, “expects”, “guidance”, “projects”, “assumes”, “budget”, “strategy”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “modeled”, “targets” and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic and at the Brucejack Mine Camp, including anticipated operational and financial impacts and our response and contingency plans; production and financial guidance, and our expectations around achieving such guidance; our future operational and financial results, including estimated cash flows (including free cash flow forecasts) and the timing thereof; expectations around grade of gold and silver production; the Brucejack Mine processing rate and gold recovery rate; capital modifications and upgrades, and underground development, and the anticipated benefits thereof, and estimated expenditures and timelines in connection therewith; our mining (including mining methods), expansion, exploration and development activities, including the reverse circulation drill program, and our definition, sustaining, expansion and underground exploration drill programs and our grassroots exploration program, and the results, benefits, costs and timing thereof; our operational grade control program, including plans with respect to our infill drill program and our local grade control model; grade reconciliation, updated geological interpretation and mining initiatives with respect to the Brucejack Mine; our management, operational plans and strategy; capital, sustaining, operating and general and administrative cost estimates and timing and anticipated benefits thereof; our liquidity and the adequacy of our financial resources (including capital resources); our intentions with respect to our capital resources; capital allocation plans; production and processing estimates and estimated rates; estimated economic results of the Brucejack Mine, including net cash flow and net present value; predicted metallurgical recoveries for gold and silver; and the geological and mineralization interpretations; development of our Brucejack Mine and timing thereof. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to materially differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, those related to: the effect of a pandemic and particularly the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic and at the Brucejack Mine Camp on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations and the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our workforce, suppliers and other essential resources and what effect those impacts, if they occur, would have on our business, financial condition and results of operations; the effectiveness of our COVID-19 management plans, related protocols and preventative measures; our production, grade of gold, milling recovery, cash flow and cost estimates, including the accuracy thereof; commodity price fluctuations, including gold and silver price volatility; the accuracy of our Mineral Resource and Reserve estimates (including with respect to size, grade and mining and milling recoverability) and the geological, operational costs and price assumptions on which they are based; uncertainties relating to inferred Mineral Resources being converted into Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources; our ability to maintain or increase our annual production of gold at the Brucejack Mine or discover, develop or acquire Mineral Reserves for production; dependency on the Brucejack Mine for our future operating revenue; the development of our properties and expansion of our operations; our need or ability to raise enough capital to mine, develop, expand or complete further exploration programs on our mineral properties; our ability to generate operating revenues and cash flow in the future; failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations; general economic conditions; the inherent risks in the mining industry; the commercial viability of our current and any acquired mineral rights; availability of suitable infrastructure or damage to existing infrastructure; transportation, processing and refining risks; maintaining satisfactory labour relations with employees and contractors; significant governmental regulations, including environmental regulations; non-compliance with permits that are obtained or delay in obtaining or renewing, failure to obtain or renew permits required in the future; increased costs and restrictions on operations due to compliance with health, safety and environmental laws and regulations; compliance with emerging climate change regulation and the detrimental effects of climate change; adequate internal control over financial reporting; various tax-related matters; potential opposition from non-governmental organizations; uncertainty regarding unsettled First Nations rights and title in British Columbia; maintaining our social license to operate; uncertainties related to title to our mineral properties and surface rights; land reclamation and mine closure requirements; our ability to identify and successfully integrate any material properties we acquire; currency exchange rate fluctuations; competition in the mining industry for properties, qualified personnel and management; our ability to attract and retain qualified management and personnel; disruption from changes in management team or failure to successfully transition new hires or promoted employees into their roles; the ability of our new executives to successfully transition into their roles; compliance with foreign corrupt practices regulations and anti-bribery laws; changes to rules and regulations, including accounting practices; limitations in our insurance coverage and the ability to insure against certain risks; reputational risks; future sales or issuances of our debt or equity securities; the trading price of our common shares is subject to volatility due to market conditions; and certain actions under United States federal securities laws may be unenforceable. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of our forward-looking information. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Our forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, many of which may be difficult to predict and beyond our control. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, we have made certain assumptions about, among other things: our business and operations and that no significant event will occur outside of our normal course of business and operations (other than as expressly set out herein); the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, including on our operations and workforce; planned exploration, development and production activities and the results, costs and timing thereof; future price of gold and silver and other metal prices; the accuracy of our Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates and related information, analyses and interpretations (including with respect to any updates or anticipated updates); the geology and mineralization of the Brucejack Project; operating conditions; capital and operating cost estimates; production and processing estimates; the results, costs and timing of future exploration and drilling; timelines and similar statements relating to the economic viability of the Brucejack Mine; timing and receipt of governmental, regulatory and third party approvals, consents, licenses and permits; obtaining required renewals for existing approvals, consents, licenses and permits; the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the adequacy of our financial resources, and our ability to raise any necessary additional capital on reasonable terms; our ability to satisfy the terms and conditions of our debt obligations; commodity prices; currency exchange rates and interest rates; political and regulatory stability; requirements under applicable laws; market competition; sustained labour stability and availability of equipment; positive relations with local groups; and favourable equity and debt capital markets; stability in financial capital markets. Although we believe that the assumptions inherent in forward-looking information are reasonable as of the date of this news release, these assumptions are subject to significant business, social, economic, political, regulatory, competitive and other risks and uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking information. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information contained in this news release.

Additional information about the risks and uncertainties concerning forward-looking information and material factors or assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based is provided in our other disclosure documents as filed in Canada on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and in the United States through EDGAR at the Security and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) website at www.sec.gov (collectively, “the Pretivm Disclosure Documents”).

Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Forward-looking information involves statements about the future and is inherently uncertain, and our actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, those referred to in this news release and the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. For the reasons set forth above, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX nor the NYSE has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.