UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM
6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
CIK # 865492
As at June 15, 2009
GREAT
BASIN GOLD LTD.
Ste.
1108-1030 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6E 2Y3
(address of principal
executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F....... Form 40-F...X.....
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ____
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper
of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to
security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ____
Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in
this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to
the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
Yes ..... No .....
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to
the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
By: /s/ Ferdi Dippenaar
President and CEO
Date: June 15, 2009
Print the name and title of the signing officer under his signature.
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1108 - 1030 West
Georgia St.
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6E 2Y3
Toll Free: 1 888-633-9332
South Africa 27 (0) 11 301 1800
www.grtbasin.com
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GREAT
BASIN GOLD PURCHASES ROCK CREEK LANDS TO PROTECT
IMPORTANT WESTERN SHOSHONE CULTURAL SITE
June 15, 2009, Winnemucca, NV
- Great Basin Gold Ltd
(TSX: GBG; NYSE Amex: GBG; JSE: GBG) ("Great Basin Gold" or the "Company")
is pleased to announce that it has created the Rock Creek Conservancy, LLC
for the purpose of holding lands recently purchased by it, and the establishment
of the Rock Creek Conservancy Fund. Great Basin Gold has purchased four sections
in Lander County along Rock Creek and another section west of Rock Creek to
prevent future real estate or mineral development on these lands.
In explaining why Great Basin Gold purchased the lands, Ferdi Dippenaar, President
and CEO of Great Basin Gold stated, "Many Western Shoshone have used the
Rock Creek area for over 700 years for traditional uses. Recognizing their
cultural importance, Great Basin Gold purchased the lands to preserve them
as part of the Company's philosophy recognizing our Corporate Social Responsibility
("CSR") to the communities in which we operate. We have spent approximately
US$1.3 million at our Burnstone project in South Africa as part of our CSR
and we are committed to making comparable social investments in and around
our other projects, including at our Hollister project in the US. The purchase
will safeguard the lands from development and allow Western Shoshone people
to continue to have access to them for traditional uses. Great Basin Gold
proposes to donate both the surface and the mineral estates on these lands
for the benefit of the five Federally-recognized Nevada Western Shoshone Tribes
("Tribes"). The ultimate disposition of the lands will be determined
during consultation between the US Bureau of Land Management ("BLM")
and the Tribes.
As a part of the purchase, third-party rights to develop the mineral estate
on the four parcels along Rock Creek have been terminated. This will ensure
that no development will occur on these four parcels. Great Basin Gold will
continue to encourage the Mineral Lessee of the fifth parcel to extinguish
the lease.
These lands are among 15 properties currently competing for funding under
Round 10 of the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act ("SNPLMA")
program. "We applaud the Elko Office of BLM for nominating the Rock Creek
lands for possible future purchase using SNPLMA funds. However, given the
current economic climate, the other competing properties, and the length of
time it will take to complete the SNLPMA review process, we were concerned
that the Department of the Interior might not select these lands for purchase
or that another party might buy them for development," explained Dippenaar.
"Great Basin Gold's purchase of these lands guarantees they will be
held for eventual transfer to the Tribes and managed in ways that will protect
these important cultural sites."
The Company is discussing a management agreement with BLM to ensure the lands
are managed appropriately prior to transfer. Great Basin Gold proposes to
maintain the roads until the transfer so Western Shoshone tribal members will
have unrestricted access to the Traditional Cultural Property throughout the
year. It also expects the management agreement to address protection of aquatic,
avian, and terrestrial wildlife habitats along the Rock Creek drainage and
preservation of the scenic values associated with Rock Creek Canyon.
Finally, in establishing the Rock Creek Conservancy Fund, Great Basin Gold
is creating a resource that the Western Shoshone Tribes can use in the future
for managing the Rock Creek lands. The Company has donated US$122,500 as seed
capital to the Rock Creek Conservancy Fund.
Ferdi Dippenaar
President and CEO
For additional details on the Rock Creek purchase and/or Great Basin and its
gold properties, please visit the Company's website at www.grtbasin.com
or contact Investor Services:
Ferdi Dippenaar 27
(0) 82 807 3684
Tsholo Serunye in South Africa 27
(0) 11 301 1800
Michael Curlook in North America 1
(888) 633 9223
Barbara Cano at Breakstone Group in the USA (646) 452 2334
No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained
in this news release.
Cautionary and Forward
Looking Statement Information
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking
statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of
historical facts, that address possible future commercial production, reserve
potential, exploration drilling results, development, feasibility or exploitation
activities and events or developments that Great Basin expects to occur are
forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations
expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions,
such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results
or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration
successes, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general
economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any
such statements are not guarantees of future performance and those actual
results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the
forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, Investors
should review the Company's annual Form 40-F filing with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that
are available at www.sedar.com.