VGZ Vista Gold Corp

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This Prospectus is a part of a registration statement that the Company filed with the SEC utilizing a “shelf” registration process.  Under this shelf registration process, the Company may sell any combination of the Securities described in this Prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of initial aggregate offering price of $50,000,000. This Prospectus provides you with a general description of the Securities that we may offer. The specific terms of the Securities in respect of which this Prospectus is being delivered will be set forth in a Prospectus Supplement and may include, where applicable: (i) in the case of Common Shares, the number of Common Shares offered, the offering price and any other specific terms of the offering; (ii) in the case of Warrants, the designation, number and terms of the Common Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Warrants, any procedures that will result in the adjustment of those numbers, the exercise price, dates and periods of exercise, and the currency or the currency unit in which the exercise price must be paid and any other specific terms; (iii) in the case of Subscription Receipts, the designation, number and terms of the Common Shares or Warrants receivable upon satisfaction of certain release conditions, any procedures that will result in the adjustment of those numbers, any additional payments to be made to holders of Subscription Receipts upon satisfaction of the release conditions, the terms of the release conditions, terms governing the escrow of all or a portion of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Subscription Receipts, terms for the refund of all or a portion of the purchase price for Subscription Receipts in the event the release conditions are not met and any other specific terms; and (iv) in the case of Units, the designation, number and terms of the Common Shares, Warrants, or Subscription Receipts comprising the Units.  A Prospectus Supplement may include specific variable terms pertaining to the Securities that are not within the alternatives and parameters set forth in this Prospectus.

In connection with any offering of the Securities (unless otherwise specified in a Prospectus Supplement), the underwriters or agents may over-allot or effect transactions which stabilize or maintain the market price of the Securities offered at a higher level than that which might exist in the open market.  Such transactions, if commenced, may be interrupted or discontinued at any time.  See “Plan of Distribution”.

Please carefully read both this Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement together with the documents incorporated herein by reference under “Documents Incorporated by Reference” and the additional information described below under “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Owning securities may subject you to tax consequences both in Canada and the United States.  This Prospectus or any applicable Prospectus Supplement may not describe these tax consequences fully.  You should read the tax discussion in any Prospectus Supplement with respect to a particular offering and consult your own tax advisor with respect to your own particular circumstances.

References in this Prospectus to “$” are to United States dollars. Canadian dollars are indicated by the symbol “C$”.

You should rely only on the information contained in this Prospectus.  The Company has not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this Prospectus.  The distribution or possession of this Prospectus in or from certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law.  This Prospectus is not an offer to sell these Securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these Securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or where the person making the offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is not permitted to make such offer or sale.  The information contained in this Prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this Prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this Prospectus or of any sale of the Securities.  The Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

In this Prospectus and in any Prospectus Supplement, unless the context otherwise requires, references to “Vista” and the “Company” refer to Vista Gold Corp., either alone or together with its subsidiaries.

THE COMPANY

Vista Gold Corp. was originally incorporated on November 28, 1983 under the name “Granges Exploration Ltd.” Effective November 1, 1996, two predecessor entities amalgamated under the name “Vista Gold Corp.” and, effective December 17, 1997, Vista Gold continued from British Columbia to the Yukon Territory, Canada under the Business Corporations Act (Yukon Territory).  On June 11, 2013, Vista Gold continued from the Yukon Territory, Canada to the Province of British Columbia, Canada under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The current addresses, telephone and facsimile numbers of the offices of the Company are:

The LOI provided that a non-refundable $50,000 payment be made to Vista for which Cangold would have a 90 day period of exclusivity (the “Exclusivity Period”) to complete due diligence and negotiate and enter into a definitive option agreement with Vista (the “Option Agreement”).

During April 2014, Minera Gold Stake S.A. de C.V. (“MGS”), Vista’s wholly-owned subsidiary, entered into an Option Agreement to option its interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project in Sinaloa, Mexico to Cangold.

Pursuant to the terms of the Option Agreement, Vista has granted Cangold the right to earn a 70% interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project by:

The Option Agreement provides that all cash payments are non-refundable and optional to Cangold, and in the event Cangold fails to pay any of the required amounts on the scheduled dates or fails to comply with its other obligations, the Option Agreement will terminate and Cangold will have no interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project . Provided it is not in breach of the Option Agreement, Cangold may at its discretion advance the above payment schedule and exercise the initial option for a 70% interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project any time during the three-year period.

Subject to Cangold earning a 70% interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project , MGS has granted Cangold the option to earn the remaining 30% interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project by notifying MGS of a production decision no later than the tenth anniversary of exercising the first option and by making a cash payment to MGS of $3,000,000 plus an additional cash payment based on a formula that includes the growth, if any, in estimated measured and indicated mineral resources of the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project , and the then prevailing spot gold price (“Escalator Payment”).

Should Cangold determine not to put the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project into production, the Option Agreement provides MGS with the right to buy back Cangold’s 70% interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project for a cash payment of $5,000,000 plus the Escalator Payment described above.  If MGS does not exercise its buyback option, MGS will still retain a right of first refusal should Cangold elect to sell its 70% interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project to a third party.

Debt

During March 2013, we entered into a credit agreement with Sprott Resources Lending Partnership (the “Lender”) for purposes of establishing a C$10,000,000 ($9,764,000) loan facility (the “2013 Facility”). The 2013 Facility originally matured March 2014, with early repayment of the 2013 Facility allowed, at our option, provided that at least four months interest has been paid. We reached an agreement with the Lender to extend the maturity date of the 2013 Facility to March 2015. Subsequently, we repaid the principal balance in full as of March 31, 2014.

THE SECURITIES OFFERED UNDER THIS PROSPECTUS

The Company may offer the Common Shares, Warrants, Subscription Receipts or Units with a total value of up to $50,000,000 from time to time under this Prospectus, together with any applicable Prospectus Supplement, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of offering.  This Prospectus provides you with a general description of the Securities the Company may offer.  Each time the Company offers Securities, it will provide a Prospectus Supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the Securities, including, to the extent applicable:

A Prospectus Supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this Prospectus or in documents the Company has incorporated by reference.  However, no Prospectus Supplement will offer a security that is not described in this Prospectus.

The Company may sell the Securities on a continuous or delayed basis to or through underwriters, dealers or agents or directly to purchasers. The Prospectus Supplement, which the Company will provide each time it offers Securities, will set forth the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the sale of the Securities, and any applicable fee, commission or discount arrangements with them.

Common Shares

The Company may offer Common Shares.  The Company may issue Common Shares independently or together with Warrants or Subscription Receipts, and the Common Shares may be attached to or separate from such securities. Holders of Common Shares are entitled to one vote per Common Share on all matters that require shareholder approval.  Holders of Common Shares are entitled to dividends when and if declared by the Board of Directors of the Company.  The Common Shares are described in greater detail in this Prospectus under “Description of Common Shares.”

Warrants

The Company may offer Warrants for the purchase of Common Shares, in one or more series, from time to time.  The Company may issue Warrants independently or together with Common Shares or Subscription Receipts, and the Warrants may be attached to or separate from such securities.  Certain warrants to purchase Common Shares of the Company (“Listed Warrants”) are listed on the TSX under the symbol VGZ.WT.U. However, Warrants to be issued under this Prospectus may or may not be listed on the TSX or on any other securities exchange.  The Prospectus Supplement regarding any Warrant to be issued under this Prospectus will provide disclosure regarding whether the Warrants to be issued under such Prospectus Supplement will be listed or are listed on a securities exchange and will be filed in Canada on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR”) and in the United States with the SEC.

The Warrants will be evidenced by warrant certificates and may be issued under one or more warrant indentures, which are contracts between the Company and a warrant trustee for the holders of the Warrants.  In this Prospectus, the Company has summarized certain general features of the Warrants under “Description of Warrants.”  The Company urges you, however, to read any Prospectus Supplement related to the series of Warrants being offered, as well as the complete warrant indentures and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the Warrants.  Specific warrant indentures will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be filed in the United States on Form 8-K with the SEC and will be filed in Canada on SEDAR.

Subscription Receipts

The Company may issue Subscription Receipts, which will entitle holders to receive upon satisfaction of certain release conditions and for no additional consideration, Common Shares, Warrants or any combination thereof.  Subscription Receipts will be issued pursuant to one or more subscription receipt agreements, each to be entered into between the Company and an escrow agent, which will establish the terms and conditions of the Subscription Receipts.  Each escrow agent will be a financial institution organized under the laws of Canada or a province thereof and authorized to carry on business as a trustee.  A copy of the form of subscription receipt agreement will be filed in the United States on Form 8-K with the SEC and will be filed in Canada on SEDAR.

In the Prospectus, the Company has summarized certain general features of the Subscription Receipts under “Description of Subscription Receipts”. The Company urges you, however, to read any Prospectus Supplement related to Subscription Receipts being offered, as well as the complete subscription receipt agreement.

Units

The Company may offer Units consisting of Common Shares, Warrants and/or Subscription Receipts to purchase any of such securities in one or more series.  This Prospectus contains a summary of certain general features of the Units under “Description of Units.”  The Company urges you, however, to read any Prospectus Supplement related to the series of Units being offered.  The Company may evidence each series of units by unit certificates that the Company will issue under a separate unit agreement with a unit agent.  The Company will file in the United States on Form 8-K with the SEC and will filed in Canada on SEDAR the unit agreements that describe the terms of the series of Units the Company is offering before the issuance of the related series of Units.

THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO OFFER OR SELL ANY SECURITIES UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.

We may not be able to get the required permits to begin construction at our Mt. Todd gold project in a timely manner or at all.

Any delay in acquiring the requisite permits, or failure to receive required governmental approvals (including the approval of the environmental impact statement), could delay or prevent the start of construction of our Mt. Todd gold project.  If we are unable to acquire permits to mine the property, then it will have no reserves under SEC Industry Guide 7 and Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”), which would result in an impairment of the carrying value of the project.

There may be other delays in the construction of our Mt. Todd gold project.

Delays in commencement of construction could result from factors such as availability and performance of engineering and construction contractors, suppliers and consultants; availability of required equipment; and availability of capital. Any delay in the performance of any one or more of the contractors, suppliers, consultants or other persons on which we depend, or lack of availability of required equipment, or delay or failure to receive required governmental approvals, or financing could delay or prevent commencement of construction at the Mt. Todd gold project. There can be no assurance of whether or when construction at the Mt. Todd gold project will start or that the necessary personnel, equipment or supplies will be available to the Company if and when construction is started. 

We cannot be assured that we will have an adequate water supply at our Mt. Todd gold project.

Water at the Mt. Todd gold project is expected to be provided from a fresh water reservoir which is fed by seasonal rains. Drought or drought-like conditions in the area feeding the reservoir could limit or extinguish this water supply, and all operations would have to stop until the water supply is replenished. 

We could incur substantial costs or disruptions to our business if we cannot obtain, renew or maintain the necessary authorizations and permits.

In order to conduct our operations, we must obtain authorizations and permits from governmental authorities.  Delays in obtaining authorizations or permits, failure to obtain an authorization or permit or receipt of an authorization or permit with unreasonable conditions or costs could have a material adverse effect on our ability to develop our gold projects.

The failure to obtain necessary permits could result in an impairment of the carrying value of our projects as the project(s) will not have mineral reserves under SEC Industry Guide 7 or NI 43-101.

We rely on third parties to fulfill their obligations under agreements.

Our business strategy includes entering into agreements with third-parties (“Partners”) which may earn the right to obtain a majority interest in certain of our projects, in part by managing the respective project. Whether or not we hold a majority interest in a respective project, our Partner(s) may: (i) have economic or business interests or goals that are inconsistent with or opposed to ours; (ii) exercise veto rights to block actions that we believe to be in the best interests of the project; (iii) take action contrary to our policies or objectives; or (iv) as a result of financial or other difficulties, be unable or unwilling to fulfill their obligations under the respective joint venture, option, earn-in right or other agreement(s), such as contributing capital for the expansion or maintenance of projects.  Any one or a combination of these could result in liabilities for us and/or could adversely affect the value of the related project(s) and, by association, damage our reputation and consequently our ability to acquire or advance other projects and/or attract future co-venturers. 

Our exploration and development operations are subject to evolving environmental regulations.

All phases of our operations are subject to environmental regulation. Environmental legislation is becoming more restrictive in some countries or jurisdictions in a manner that will require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees. There is no assurance that future changes in environmental regulation, if any, will not adversely affect our projects. Currently, we are subject to U.S. federal and state environmental regulations in California, as well as government environmental regulations in Australia and Mexico.

We could be subject to environmental lawsuits.

Neighboring landowners and other third parties could file claims based on environmental statutes and common law for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the release of hazardous substances or other waste material into the environment on or around our properties.  There can be no assurance that our defense of such claims would be successful.  This could have a material adverse effect on our business prospects, financial condition, results of operation, and corporate reputation.

There may be challenges to our title to mineral properties.

There may be challenges to our title to our mineral properties. If there are title defects with respect to any of our properties, we may be required to compensate other persons or perhaps reduce our interest in the affected property. Also, in any such case, the investigation and resolution of title issues would divert management’s time from company business, including any ongoing exploration and development programs.

Our interests in Mexico, Bolivia and Indonesia are subject to risks from political and economic instability.

We have interests in Mexico, Bolivia and Indonesia that may be affected by risks associated with political or economic instability in those countries. The risks include, but are not limited to, military repression, extreme fluctuations in currency exchange rates, labor instability or militancy, mineral title irregularities and high rates of inflation. In addition, changes in mining or investment policies or shifts in political attitude in these countries may adversely affect our business. We may be affected in varying degrees by government regulation with respect to restrictions on production, price controls, export controls, income taxes, expropriation of property, maintenance of claims, environmental legislation, land use, land claims of local people, water use and mine safety. The effect of these factors cannot be accurately predicted.

Financial and Business Risks

The Purchasers of the Los Cardones project may elect to not make a $6,250,000 payment to us by July 31, 2014, which would severely reduce our expected working capital and negatively affect our planned liquidity.

During October 2013, Vista and Invecture Group S.A. de C.V. (“Invecture”) terminated the 2012 Earn-in Right Agreement whereby Invecture could have earned a 62.5% interest in the Los Cardones gold project located in Baja California Sur, Mexico, and entered into new agreements whereby Vista sold 100% of its debt and equity interests in the Los Cardones gold project (the “Los Cardones Sale”) to Invecture and RPG Structured Finance S.a.R.L.  (together, the “Purchasers”), for a total of $13,000,000, $7,000,000 of which was paid in October 2013 and $6,000,000 was payable in January 2014, subject to the Purchasers’ option to elect to not make this payment. As a result of permitting delays, we and the Purchasers have agreed to extend the due date of the $6,000,000 payment to July 31, 2014 for consideration of $250,000. If the Purchasers elect to not make the $6,250,000 payment, Vista will retain the $7,000,000 already paid and 100% of the Los Cardones gold project will be returned to Vista. The Company would also assume all of the responsibilities associated with maintaining the Los Cardones gold project on a going forward basis.

We may be unable to raise additional capital on favorable terms, if at all.

The exploration and development of our properties, specifically the construction of any mining facilities and commencement of any mining operations, require substantial additional financing. We will have to raise additional funds from external sources (through equity or debt financing or through the sale of our assets) in order to maintain and advance our existing property positions and to acquire new gold projects. There can be no assurance that additional financing will be available at all or on acceptable terms. In addition, there can be no assurance that we will be able to timely monetize our assets at a value acceptable to us or at all. If additional financing or sale of our noncore assets are not available, we may have to substantially reduce or cease operations.

A substantial or extended decline in gold prices would have a material adverse effect on the value of our assets, on our ability to raise capital and could result in lower than estimated economic returns.

The value of our assets, our ability to raise capital and our future economic returns are substantially dependent on the price of gold. The gold price fluctuates on a daily basis and is affected by numerous factors beyond our control. Factors tending to influence gold prices include:

A substantial or extended decline in the gold price could:

We have a history of losses, and we do not expect to generate earnings from operations or pay dividends in the near term.

We are an Exploration Stage Enterprise.  As such, we devote our efforts to exploration, analysis and development of our projects.  We do not currently produce gold and do not currently generate operating earnings.  We finance our business activities principally by issuing equity and/or debt and the sale of non-core assets.  

We have incurred losses in all periods since 1998, except for the year ended December 31, 2011, during which we recorded non-cash net gains. Our historic accumulated deficit totals approximately $394 million as at December 31, 2013, $334 million as at December 31, 2012 and $264 million as at December 31, 2011.  Additionally, we had negative cash flow from operating activities of $25 million for the year ended December 31, 2013.  We expect to continue this trend of incurring losses, until one or more of our gold properties becomes a producing mine(s), or is otherwise monetized, and generates sufficient revenues to fund all of our operations, including our corporate headquarters.  We have no history of paying dividends and we do not expect to pay dividends or to make any similar distribution in the foreseeable future.

We cannot be certain that any of our exploration and development activities or any acquisition activities will be commercially successful .

Substantial expenditures are required to acquire gold properties, to establish mineral reserves through drilling and analysis, to develop metallurgical processes to extract metal from the ore and to develop the mining and processing facilities and infrastructure at any site chosen for mining. We cannot be assured that any mineral reserves or mineral resources acquired, established or discovered will be in sufficient quantities to justify commercial operations or that the funds invested in them will ever be recovered.  

We face intense competition in the mining industry.

The mining industry is intensely competitive in all of its phases. Some of our competitors are much larger, established mining companies with greater financial and technical resources than ours.  We compete with other mining companies for attractive mining claims, for capital, for equipment and supplies, for outside services and for qualified managerial and technical employees. 

If we are unable to acquire attractive mining claims we could lose an opportunity to improve our business. Competition for capital recently reduced the amount of capital available and raised the associated cost.  If we are

unable to raise sufficient capital, our exploration and development programs may be reduced in scope or stopped completely, as done at our Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project during 2013, for example.  Competition for equipment and supplies could result in shortage of necessary supplies and/or increased costs. Competition for outside services could result in increased costs, reduced quality of service and/or delays in completing services. If we cannot successfully attract and retain qualified employees our exploration and development programs may be slowed down or suspended. 

The occurrence of events for which we are not insured may affect our cash flow and overall profitability.

We maintain insurance policies that mitigate certain risks related to our operations. This insurance is maintained in amounts that we believe to be reasonable based on the circumstances surrounding each identified risk. However, we may elect not to have insurance for certain risks because of the high premiums associated with insuring those risks or for various other reasons; in other cases, insurance may not be available for certain risks. We do not insure against political risk. Occurrence of events for which we are not insured could result in significant costs that could materially adversely affect our financial condition and our ability to fund our business.  A significant loss or liability could force us to reduce or terminate operations on a specific project.

Currency fluctuations may adversely affect our costs.

Currency exchange rate fluctuations may affect the costs that we incur at our projects as those costs are incurred in the local currency.  The appreciation of the local currencies against the U.S. dollar increases our costs of exploration and development activities in U.S. dollar terms at our projects located outside of the United States.  As a result, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.  

The Company is likely a “passive foreign investment company,” which will likely have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences for U.S. shareholders.

U.S. shareholders of shares of our common stock (the “Common Shares”) should be aware that the Company believes it was classified as a PFIC during the taxable year ended December 31, 2013, and based on current business plans and financial projections, management believes there is a significant likelihood that the Company will be a PFIC during the current taxable year.  If the Company is a PFIC for any year during a U.S. shareholder’s holding period, then such U.S. shareholder generally will be required to treat any gain realized upon a disposition of Common Shares, or any so-called “excess distribution” received on their Common Shares, as ordinary income, and to pay an interest charge on a portion of such gain or distributions, unless the shareholder makes a timely and effective “qualified electing fund” (“QEF Election”) or a “mark-to-market” election with respect to the Common Shares.  A U.S. shareholder who makes a QEF Election generally must report on a current basis its share of the net capital gain and ordinary earnings for any year in which the Company is PFIC, whether or not the Company distributes any amounts to its shareholders.  However, U.S. shareholders should be aware that there can be no assurance that the Company will satisfy record keeping requirements that apply to a QEF Election, or that the Company will supply U.S. shareholders with information that such U.S. shareholders require to report under the QEF Election rules, in event that the Company is a PFIC and a U.S. shareholder wishes to make a QEF Election.  Thus, U.S. shareholders may not be able to make a QEF Election with respect to their Common Shares.  A U.S. shareholder who makes the mark-to-market election generally must include as ordinary income each year the excess of the fair market value of the Common Shares over the taxpayer’s basis therein.  This paragraph is qualified in its entirety by the discussion below under the heading “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations.”  Each U.S. shareholder should consult his or her own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, U.S. state and local, and foreign tax consequences of the PFIC rules and the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares. 

Lack of Public Market.

Neither the Warrants, Subscription Receipts or Units have a public market history.  No assurance can be made that an active trading market for these securities will develop in the future, and the Company does not expect that an active trading market will develop.  There is no intention to list the Warrants, Subscription Receipts or Units on any stock exchange.  The lack of public market for the Warrants, Subscription Receipts and Units may inhibit purchasers’ ability to resell these securities.  In addition, the lack of public market may affect the pricing of the Warrants, Subscription Receipts and Units in the secondary market, the transparency and availability of trading prices of such securities, the liquidity of such securities and the extent of regulation of the Company.

Industry Risks

Cost inflation could negatively affect the long-term viability of our industry.

Operating costs within the gold mining industry have been increasing dramatically in recent years.   Deepening political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, strong economic growth in China, India and other developing economies could have the effect of constraining supplies of oil and other commodities, which could force related prices higher. A similar trend in labor costs has been observed, resulting mainly from a shortage of skilled labor and growing pressure for the extractive industries to provide compensation commensurate with higher metals prices.  There is also a growing trend for governments to expect more income from their natural resources in the form of increased royalties, taxes and fees. These factors undermine the long-term viability of the mining industry generally, and potentially reduce the availability of, and/or increase the cost of, financing for new mining projects.  

Calculations of mineral reserves and mineral resources are estimates only and subject to uncertainty.

The estimating of mineral reserves and mineral resources is an imprecise process and the accuracy of such estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data, the assumptions used and judgments made in interpreting engineering and geological information and estimating future capital and operating costs. There is significant uncertainty in any reserve or resource estimate, and the economic results of mining an ore deposit may differ materially from the estimates.

Feasibility and other studies are estimates only and subject to uncertainty.

Feasibility studies are used to determine the economic viability of an ore deposit, as are pre-feasibility studies and preliminary economic assessments. Feasibility studies are the most detailed studies and reflect a higher level of confidence in the estimated production rates, and capital and operating costs. Generally accepted levels of confidence are plus or minus 15% for feasibility studies, plus or minus 25-30% for pre-feasibility studies and plus or minus 35-40% for preliminary economic assessments. These levels reflect the levels of confidence that exist at the time the study is completed.  Subsequent changes to metal prices, foreign exchange rates (if applicable), reclamation requirements, operating and capital costs may differ materially from these estimates.

Regulations and pending legislation involving climate change could result in increased operating costs.

Gold production is energy intensive, resulting in a significant carbon footprint. A number of governments and/or governmental bodies have introduced or are contemplating regulatory changes in response to various climate change interest groups and the potential impact of climate change. For example, Australia passed the Clean Energy Act in 2011 that establishes a mechanism to combat climate change by imposing a carbon tax on greenhouse gas emissions and encourages investment in clean energy.  This type of legislation and possible future legislation and increased regulation regarding climate change could impose significant costs related to increased energy requirements, capital equipment, environmental monitoring and reporting and other costs to comply with such regulations. 

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information have been based upon our approved business plans, exploration and assay results, mineral resource and reserve estimates and results of preliminary economic assessments, pre-feasibility studies and feasibility studies on our projects, if any, current market conditions and project development plans. The words “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “intend”, “believe”, “will”, “may” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which may cause or actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information.  These factors include risks such as:

For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information, please see “Risk Factors” in this Prospectus.  Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurances that these statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in the statements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements and forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CAUTIONARY NOTE FOR U.S. INVESTORS REGARDING RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES

The terms “mineral reserve”, “proven mineral reserve” and “probable mineral reserve” are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the ”CIM”)— CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves , adopted by the CIM Council, as amended. These definitions differ from the definitions in the SEC Industry Guide 7 under Regulation S-K of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 (the “U.S. Securities Act”). Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a “final” or “bankable” feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority.

In addition, the terms “mineral resource”, “measured mineral resource”, “indicated mineral resource” and “inferred mineral resource” are defined in and required to be disclosed by NI 43-101; however, these terms are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. “Inferred mineral resources” have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all, or any part, of an inferred mineral 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 pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of “contained ounces” in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute “reserves” by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.

Accordingly, information contained in this Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and any Prospectus Supplement contain descriptions of our mineral deposits that may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements under the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder

We also hereby specifically incorporate by reference all filings filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement on Form S-3 to which this Prospectus relates and prior to effectiveness of such registration statement.

You may obtain copies of any of these documents by contacting us at the address and telephone number indicated below or by contacting the SEC as described below. You may request a copy of these documents, and any exhibits that have specifically been incorporated by reference as an exhibit in this prospectus supplement, at no cost, by writing or telephoning to:

Vista Gold Corp.

7961 Shaffer Parkway, Suite 5

Littleton, Colorado 80127

Attention: John F. Engele, Chief Financial Officer

(720) 981-1185

The Company presents its consolidated financial statements in United States dollars.  All references in this Prospectus to “dollars” and  “$” are to United States dollars and all references to “C$” are to Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted.  Except as otherwise indicated, all financial statements and financial data contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), which differ in certain significant respects from International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).

The following table sets forth, for each period indicated, the exchange rates of the Canadian dollar to the U.S. dollar for the end of each period indicated and the high, low and average exchange rates for each of such periods (such rates, which are expressed in Canadian dollars are based on the noon buying rates for U.S. dollars reported by the Bank of Canada).

On August 15, 2014, the noon buying rate reported by the Bank of Canada was $1.00 = C$1.0910.

On August 15, 2014, the closing price of the Common Shares on the NYSE MKT and the TSX was $0.47 and C$0.50 per Common Share, respectively. 

Certain warrants to purchase Common Shares (the “Listed Warrants”) of the Company are listed on the TSX under the symbol VGZ.WT.U.

The following table sets out the reported high and low sale prices and volume of sales traded on the TSX by month since the Listed Warrants began trading.

On June 30, 2014, the closing price of the Listed Warrants on the TSX was C$0.005 per Listed Warrant.

PRIOR SALES

The following table sets forth for the 12 month period prior to the date of this Prospectus, details of the price at which securities have been issued by us, the number and type of securities issued and the date on which such securities were issued:

General

Warrants will be issued under and governed by the terms of one or more warrant indentures (each a “Warrant Indenture”) between the Company and a warrant trustee (the “Warrant Trustee”) that the Company will name in the relevant Prospectus Supplement.  Each Warrant Trustee will be a financial institution organized under the laws of Canada or any province thereof and authorized to carry on business as a trustee.

This summary of some of the provisions of the Warrants is not complete.  The statements made in this Prospectus relating to any Warrant Indenture and Warrants to be issued under this Prospectus are summaries of certain anticipated provisions thereof and do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all provisions of the applicable Warrant Indenture.  Prospective investors should refer to the Warrant Indenture relating to the specific Warrants being offered for the complete terms of the Warrants. The Company urges you to read the applicable Prospectus Supplement related to the applicable Warrants that the Company sells under this prospectus, as well as the complete Warrant Indenture and Warrant Certificate.  In the United States the Company will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this Prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from a current report on Form 8-K that the Company files with the SEC, any Warrant Indenture describing the terms and conditions of Warrants the Company is offering before the issuance of such Warrants. In Canada the Company will file on SEDAR a copy of any Warrant Indenture after the Company has entered into it.

Warrants

The particular terms of each issue of Warrants will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. This description will include, where applicable:

Rights of Holders Prior to Exercise

Prior to the exercise of their Warrants, holders of Warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

Exercise of Warrants

Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the Common Shares that the Company specifies in the applicable Prospectus Supplement at the exercise price that the Company describes therein.  Unless the Company otherwise specifies in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, holders of the Warrants may exercise the Warrants at any time up

to the specified time on the expiration date that the Company sets forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.  After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

Holders of the Warrants may exercise the Warrants by delivering the Warrant Certificate representing the Warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the Warrant Trustee in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.  The Company will set forth on the Warrant Certificate and in the applicable Prospectus Supplement the information that the holder of the Warrant will be required to deliver to the Warrant Trustee.

Upon receipt of the required payment and the Warrant Certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the Warrant Trustee or any other office indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Company will issue and deliver the Common Shares purchasable upon such exercise.  If fewer than all of the Warrants represented by the Warrant Certificate are exercised, then the Company will issue a new Warrant Certificate for the remaining amount of Warrants.  If the Company so indicates in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, holders of the Warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for Warrants.

Anti-Dilution

The Warrant Indenture will specify that upon the subdivision, consolidation, reclassification or other material change of the Common Shares or any other reorganization, amalgamation, merger or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, the Warrants will thereafter evidence the right of the holder to receive the securities, property or cash deliverable in exchange for, or on the conversion of, or in respect of, the Common Shares to which the holder of a Common Share would have been entitled immediately after such event.  Similarly, any distribution to all or substantially all of the holders of Common Shares of rights, options, warrants, evidences of indebtedness or assets will result in an adjustment in the number of Common Shares to be issued to holders of Warrants.

Global Securities

The Company may issue Warrants in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities, which will be registered in the name of and be deposited with a depositary, or its nominee, each of which will be identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.  The global securities may be in temporary or permanent form. The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the terms of any depositary arrangement and the rights and limitations of owners of beneficial interests in any global security. The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the exchange, registration and transfer rights relating to any global security.

Modifications

The Warrant Indenture will provide for modifications and alterations to the Warrants issued thereunder by way of a resolution of holders of Warrants at a meeting of such holders or a consent in writing from such holders.  The number of holders of Warrants required to pass such a resolution or execute such a written consent will be specified in the Warrant Indenture.

The Company may amend any Warrant Indenture and the Warrants, without the consent of the holders of the Warrants, to cure any ambiguity, to cure, correct or supplement any defective or inconsistent provision, or in any other manner that will not materially and adversely affect the interests of holders of outstanding Warrants.

DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS

The Company may issue Subscription Receipts, which will entitle holders to receive upon satisfaction of certain release conditions and for no additional consideration, Common Shares, Warrants or a combination thereof.  Subscription Receipts will be issued pursuant to one or more subscription receipt agreements (each, a “Subscription Receipt Agreement”), each to be entered into between the Company and an escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”), which will establish the terms and conditions of the Subscription Receipts.  Each Escrow Agent will be a financial institution organized under the laws of Canada or a province thereof and authorized to carry on business as a trustee.  In the United States the Company will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this Prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from a current report on Form 8-K that the Company files with the SEC, any Subscription Receipt Agreement describing the terms and conditions of Subscription Receipts the Company is offering before the issuance of such Subscription Receipts.  In Canada the Company will file on SEDAR a copy of any Subscription Receipt Agreement after the Company has entered into it.

The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of Subscription Receipts and is not intended to be complete.  The statements made in this Prospectus relating to any Subscription Receipt Agreement and Subscription Receipts to be issued thereunder are summaries of certain anticipated provisions thereof and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all provisions of the applicable Subscription Receipt Agreement and the Prospectus Supplement describing such Subscription Receipt Agreement. The Company urges you to read the applicable Prospectus Supplement related to the particular Subscription Receipts that the Company  sells under this Prospectus, as well as the complete Subscription Receipt Agreement.

The Prospectus Supplement relating to any Subscription Receipts the Company offers will describe the Subscription Receipts and include specific terms relating to their offering.  All such terms will comply with the requirements of the TSX and NSYE MKT relating to Subscription Receipts.  If underwriters or agents are used in the sale of Subscription Receipts, one or more of such underwriters or agents may also be parties to the Subscription Receipt Agreement governing the Subscription Receipts sold to or through such underwriters or agents.

General

The Prospectus Supplement and the Subscription Receipt Agreement for any Subscription Receipts the Company offers will describe the specific terms of the Subscription Receipts and may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

The holders of Subscription Receipts will not be shareholders of the Company.  Holders of Subscription Receipts are entitled only to receive Common Shares, Warrants or a combination thereof on exchange of their Subscription Receipts, plus any cash payments provided for under the Subscription Receipt Agreement, if the Release Conditions are satisfied.  If the Release Conditions are not satisfied, the holders of Subscription Receipts shall be entitled to a refund of all or a portion of the subscription price therefor and all or a portion of the pro rata share of interest earned or income generated thereon, as provided in the Subscription Receipt Agreement.

Escrow

The Escrowed Funds will be held in escrow by the Escrow Agent, and such Escrowed Funds will be released to the Company (and, if the Subscription Receipts are sold to or through underwriters or agents, a portion of the Escrowed Funds may be released to such underwriters or agents in payment of all or a portion of their fees in connection with the sale of the Subscription Receipts) at the time and under the terms specified by the Subscription Receipt Agreement.  If the Release Conditions are not satisfied, holders of Subscription Receipts will receive a refund of all or a portion of the subscription price for their Subscription Receipts plus their pro rata entitlement to interest earned or income generated on such amount, in accordance with the terms of the Subscription Receipt Agreement.  Common Shares or Warrants may be held in escrow by the Escrow Agent, and will be released to the holders of Subscription Receipts following satisfaction of the Release Conditions at the time and under the terms specified in the Subscription Receipt Agreement.

Anti-Dilution

The Subscription Receipt Agreement will specify that upon the subdivision, consolidation, reclassification or other material change of the Common Shares or Warrants or any other reorganization, amalgamation, merger or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, the Subscription Receipts will thereafter evidence the right of the holder to receive the securities, property or cash deliverable in exchange for, or on the conversion of, or in respect of, the Common Shares or Warrants to which the holder of a Common Share or Warrant would have been entitled immediately after such event.  Similarly, any distribution to all or substantially all of the holders of Common Shares of rights, options, warrants, evidences of indebtedness or assets will result in an adjustment in the number of Common Shares to be issued to holders of Subscription Receipts whose Subscription Receipts entitle the holders thereof to receive Common Shares.  Alternatively, such securities, evidences of indebtedness or assets may, at the option of the Company, be issued to the Escrow Agent and delivered to holders of Subscription Receipts on exercise thereof.  The Subscription Receipt Agreement will also provide that if other actions of the Company affect the Common Shares or Warrants, which, in the reasonable opinion of the directors of the Company, would materially affect the rights of the holders of Subscription Receipts and/or the rights attached to the Subscription Receipts, the number of Common Shares or Warrants which are to be received pursuant to the Subscription Receipts shall be adjusted in such manner, if any, and at such time as the directors of the Company may in their discretion reasonably determine to be equitable to the holders of Subscription Receipts in such circumstances.

Rescission

The Subscription Receipt Agreement will also provide that any misrepresentation in this Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement under which the Subscription Receipts are offered, or any amendment thereto, will entitle each initial purchaser of Subscription Receipts to a contractual right of rescission following the issuance of the Common Shares or Warrants to such purchaser entitling such purchaser to receive the amount paid for the Subscription Receipts upon surrender of the Common Shares or Warrants, provided that such remedy for rescission is exercised in the time stipulated in the Subscription Receipt Agreement.  This right of rescission does not extend to holders of Subscription Receipts who acquire such Subscription Receipts from an initial purchaser, on the open market or otherwise, or to initial purchasers who acquire Subscription Receipts in the United States.

Global Securities

The Company may issue Subscription Receipts in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities, which will be registered in the name of and be deposited with a depositary, or its nominee, each of which will be identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.  The global securities may be in temporary or permanent form. The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the terms of any depositary arrangement and the rights and limitations of owners of beneficial interests in any global security. The applicable Prospectus Supplement also will describe the exchange, registration and transfer rights relating to any global security.

Modifications

The Subscription Receipt Agreement will provide for modifications and alterations to the Subscription Receipts issued thereunder by way of a resolution of holders of Subscription Receipts at a meeting of such holders or a consent in writing from such holders.  The number of holders of Subscriptions Receipts required to pass such a resolution or execute such a written consent will be specified in the Subscription Receipt Agreement.

The Company may amend the Subscription Receipt Agreement, without the consent of the holders of the Subscription Receipts, to cure any ambiguity, to cure, correct or supplement any defective or inconsistent provision, or in any other manner that will not materially and adversely affect the interests of holders of outstanding Subscription Receipts.

General

The Company may issue units comprising two or more of Common Shares, Warrants and Subscription Receipts in any combination.  Each Unit will be issued so that the holder of the Unit is also the holder of each security included in the Unit.  Thus, the holder of a Unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security.  The Unit Agreement under which a Unit is issued may provide that the Securities included in the Unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.

The Company will describe in the applicable Prospectus Supplement the terms of the series of Units, including:

The provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Common Shares”, “Description of Warrants” and “Description of Subscription Receipts” will apply to each Unit and to any Common Share, Warrant or Subscription Receipt included in each Unit, respectively.

Issuance in Series

The Company may issue Units in such amounts and in numerous distinct series as the Company determines.

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Units

Each Unit Agent will act solely as the Company’s agent under the applicable Unit Agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any Unit.  A single bank or trust company may act as Unit Agent for more than one series of Units.  A Unit Agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by the Company under the applicable Unit Agreement or Unit, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon the Company.  Any holder of a Unit may, without the consent of the related Unit Agent or the holder of any other Unit, enforce by appropriate legal action its rights as holder under any security included in the Unit.

The Company, the Unit Agents and any of their agents may treat the registered holder of any Unit Certificate as an absolute owner of the Units evidenced by that certificate for any purpose and as the person entitled to exercise the rights attaching to the Units so requested, despite any notice to the contrary.