GOLDEN, Colo., June 24, 2014 /CNW/ -- Atna Resources Ltd.
("Atna" or the "Company") (TSX:ATN / OTCQB:ATNAF) is pleased to
report that it has commenced small scale mining and gold production
at its Pinson underground mine near Winnemucca, Nevada. Pinson entered into a
contract mining agreement on a risk-sharing basis with Small Mine
Development LLC of Boise, Idaho
and renewed its prior gold ore purchase and sales agreement with
Newmont. The first shipment of ore has been mined and sold to
Newmont's Twin Creeks oxide mill.
Initial mining started in a previously developed oxide ore stope
in the Ogee zone. Two additional oxide stopes have been identified
for mining over the next quarter with one of these stoping areas to
be mined by long-hole stoping, a bulk-mining method versus the
selective underhand cut-and-fill mining method previously used at
Pinson. Ore will be screened on surface to eliminate waste and
upgrade the average grade shipped as was learned to be effective in
prior operations.
Atna plans to mine previously developed ore zones at Pinson with
minimal investment requirements, and to make regular ore sales as
tonnages are produced. The Company does not intend to provide
forward guidance on production, but will report results
periodically as the program proceeds. Mining rates may be increased
with experience and as justified by the gold market and
profitability of Pinson-underground operations.
Work is progressing on producing updated resources, reserves and
long-term mine plan for the Pinson underground operation. In
addition, work is nearing completion on an open pit, heap leach
mining study for the private land sections at Pinson. Atna plans to
combine these two studies into a single NI 43-101 compliant report
for release.
This press release was prepared under the supervision and review
of William Stanley, V.P. Exploration
of Atna, a Registered Member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy,
and Exploration (No. 3069054), a Licensed Geologist and qualified
person, as defined in NI 43-101, who has verified the authenticity
and validity of the technical information contained within this
news release.
For additional information on Atna Resources and the Pinson
mine, please visit our website at www.atna.com.
This press release contains certain "forward-looking
statements," as defined in the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and
within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation relating to
potential optimization, increased productivity, cost reduction,
economics, or resource or reserve expansion at the Pinson mine.
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
fact. They are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the
Company's management on the date the statements are made and they
involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there
can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate
and actual results and future events could differ materially from
those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements if
management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors,
should change, unless required by law. Factors that could cause
future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these
forward-looking statements include: gold deposit modeling, future
operating costs at the Pinson mine, the Company might encounter
problems such as the significant depreciation of metals prices;
accidents and other risks associated with mining, exploration and
development operations; the risk that the Company will encounter
unanticipated geological factors; the Company's need for and
ability to obtain additional financing; the possibility that the
Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental
clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration and
development programs; and the other risk factors discussed in
greater detail in the Company's various filings on SEDAR
(www.sedar.com) with Canadian securities regulators and its filings
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Company's 2013 Form 20-F dated March 14,
2014.
Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors --- The United States
Securities and Exchange Commission permits U.S. mining companies,
in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral
deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or
produce. We use certain terms in this report, such as "measured,"
"indicated," "inferred," and "resources," that the SEC guidelines
strictly prohibit U.S. registered companies from including in their
filings with the SEC.
CONTACT:
James
Hesketh, President and CEO - (303) 278-8464
Valerie Kimball, Investor Relations
- toll free (877) 692-8182
www.atna.com
SOURCE Atna Resources Ltd.