State & Federal Agencies Update Permitting Schedule for Midas Gold's Stibnite Gold Project

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midas Gold Corp. (TSX:MAX) (OTCQX:MDRPF) today announced that the United States Forest Service (“USFS”) has updated the anticipated permitting schedule for Midas Gold Idaho’s Stibnite Gold Project (“Project”), which is located in Valley County, 39 miles east of McCall and 14 miles from  Yellow Pine, Idaho. The USFS, in cooperation with the six other federal, state and local agencies responsible for the permitting schedule, anticipates issuing a draft Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) for public comment in November 2018, with a Final EIS and Draft Record of Decision (“ROD”) by July 2019.  This would allow for an approved ROD in November 2019. 

In 2017, seven federal, state and local agencies signed the Stibnite Joint Review Process Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) committing to work together to evaluate the Plan of Restoration and Operations (“PRO”) for the Stibnite Gold Project under the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). The MOU was designed so that agencies could collaborate in the review and preparation of the EIS, meet the requirements of the public process and follow a mutually agreed upon schedule.

“Led by the United States Forest Service and the Idaho Department of Lands, the joint review process is reducing duplication of efforts and administrative delay while recognizing the need for a thorough and complete review of the Project,” said Stephen Quin, President & CEO of Midas Gold Corp. “The updated schedule, indicating a final decision in late 2019 represents continued progress and another step forward for Midas Gold and our Stibnite Gold Project.” 

Updated Schedule

The Plan of Restoration and Operations (“PRO”) was accepted as complete by the USFS in December 2016, and the agency submitted a Notice of Intent to initiate review of the project and conduct the Public Scoping period in early June, 2017.  Since that time, the USFS, their 3rd Party Contractor and other cooperating agencies have made steady progress reviewing the PRO, baseline data, public comments and additional information they requested for review. The USFS advised Midas Gold they anticipate issuing a draft EIS for public comment in November 2018 with the target date of an approved ROD in November 2019.  Regulators want to ensure they meet the regulatory requirements to support a robust and defensible Record of Decision and are taking the time necessary to safeguard the accuracy and thoroughness of the environmental impact analysis, while ensuring that alternative development scenarios are carefully considered.  The updated schedule reflects a number of minor adjustments to both the baseline analysis and alternatives development processes in order to accommodate thorough and comprehensive evaluations.

“Our plan, as laid out in the PRO, presents a compelling case for the redevelopment of the former Stibnite mine site and the concurrent restoration of extensive impacts from historical mining-related activities,” said Laurel Sayer, CEO of Midas Gold Idaho. “The process is moving at a reassuring pace, in large part due to the cooperation of agencies involved in the Stibnite Joint Review Process. The schedule update tells us the regulatory agencies are doing their job to ensure the best possible plan is permitted and the Record of Decision stands.”

Next Steps in the Regulatory Process

The USFS, on behalf of the various regulatory agencies, completed the review of the comments coming out of the scoping period and is currently conducting the alternatives assessment and environmental analysis as required by NEPA. The assessment and analysis are the core of the review process for the Stibnite Gold Project and will provide the basis for drafting of the EIS.

The next opportunity for public review and comment will come when the agencies release the Draft EIS, which is now anticipated to be in November 2018. After the comment period, the USFS and cooperating agencies will produce the Final EIS and a Draft ROD as well as respond to all public comments from the Draft EIS.  Upon publication of the Final EIS, there will be a short period for objections and resolution before a Final ROD is published. A positive final decision would allow Midas Gold to seek the issuance of the final permits that are dependent on the ROD being issued.

Management Changes

Midas Gold also reports that Anne Labelle has moved from her position as VP Legal & Sustainability with the Company to take on a new role as a director of Midas Gold Idaho, Inc. and as a consultant to the Company.  Ms. Labelle is integral to the Company’s efforts having brought sustainability, stakeholder relations, site restoration and environmental awareness to the forefront of Midas Gold’s thinking and ensuring that the Company’s PFS and PRO and other plans reflect these priorities.  In addition, over the past seven years, Ms. Labelle built strong relationships with Midas Gold’s stakeholders, and especially those in Valley County and across Idaho.  Going forward, Ms. Labelle will continue her focus on sustainability initiatives, including stakeholder relations.

“We appreciate the creativity and perspective that Anne brought to Midas Gold and the relationships that she built, and we look forward to building on these foundations,” said Mr. Quin.  “Anne’s ongoing role with the Company will ensure that we continue to advance with our progressive, original and innovative approach to the redevelopment and restoration of the Stibnite Gold Project.”

Stibnite Gold Project Permitting Background

In September of 2016, Midas Gold Idaho, Inc. submitted its PRO for the restoration, re-development and operation of the Stibnite Gold Project in Valley County, Idaho. The PRO was deemed administratively complete by the USFS in December 2016, the scoping process was completed in July 2017 and the environmental analysis and alternatives assessment is currently in process.

A detailed presentation on the PRO can be found at www.midasgoldcorp.com. Details of previous news releases and technical studies can be found filed under Midas Gold’s profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or at www.midasgoldcorp.com.

For further information about Midas Gold Corp., please contact:

Liz Monger -- Manager, Investor Relations (t): 778.724.4704
(e): info@midasgoldcorp.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/midasgoldidaho Twitter: @MidasIdaho

Website:  www.midasgoldcorp.com

About Midas Gold and the Stibnite Gold Project

Midas Gold Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiaries are focused on the exploration and, if warranted, site restoration and development of gold-antimony-silver deposits in the Stibnite-Yellow Pine district of central Idaho that are encompassed by its Stibnite Gold Project.

Forward-Looking Information

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding possible events, next steps and courses of action including actions to be taken by the U.S. Forest Service, the State of Idaho and other government agencies and regulatory bodies. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", “will”, "could", "be achieved". In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, Midas Gold has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that the current objectives concerning the Stibnite Gold Project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; that the formal review process under the NEPA (including a joint review process involving the U.S. Forest Services, the State of Idaho and other agencies and regulatory bodies) as well as the public comment period, scoping process and EIS will proceed in a timely manner and as expected; and that all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Midas Gold to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, changes in laws and regulations and changes in the application of standards pursuant to existing laws and regulations which may result in unforeseen results in the review process under the NEPA; uncertainty surrounding input to be received pursuant to the scoping process including but not limited to the public comment period; risks related to dependence on key personnel; risks related to unforeseen delays in the review process including availability of personnel from the US Forest Services, State of Idaho and other agencies and regulatory bodies; as well as those factors discussed in Midas Gold's public disclosure record. Although Midas Gold has attempted to identify important factors that could affect Midas Gold and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, Midas Gold does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.