[VISTA GOLD CORP. LOGO]  7961 SHAFFER PARKWAY
                         SUITE 5
                         LITTLETON, COLORADO 80127
                         TELEPHONE (720) 981-1185
                         FAX (720) 981-1186


                                            Trading Symbol: VGZ
                                            Toronto and American Stock Exchanges




____________________________________________NEWS  ______________________________


                 VISTA GOLD CORP. ANNOUNCES SALE OF HAUL TRUCKS

LITTLETON, COLORADO, FEBRUARY 1, 2001 - Vista Gold Corp. is pleased to announce
the sale of four haul trucks from the Hycroft mine and the retirement of the
only significant company debt, which was an equipment loan from Finova, Inc. The
gross realized price for the transaction was $1.79 million, and after
dismantling costs for one of the trucks and the repayment of the Finova loan,
the Company will net approximately $1.1 million. This sale is in accordance with
our strategy of maintaining our core asset, the Hycroft mine in Nevada, without
diluting the holdings of our existing shareholders through private placement to
raise corporate operating funds.

Hycroft continues to produce gold from the rinsing of the existing heaps at the
rate of 18-20 ounces per day. Production for the year 2000 exceeded 13,000
ounces of gold with a direct cash cost of $167 per ounce.

"The sale of our haul trucks allows us to continue to seek strategic
partnerships without being unduly pressured by a lack of funds," said Jock
McGregor, President and CEO. "We believe that we are well positioned to take
advantage of any significant improvement in gold prices by resuming production
at the Brimstone pit, once funding becomes available." Hycroft's Brimstone pit
contains over 600,000 ounces of gold in the proven, probable and mineral
resource categories and further work completed on the exploration potential at
Hycroft has identified a number of exciting targets for further exploration.

Vista Gold Corp. is an international gold mining, development and exploration
company based in Littleton, Colorado. Its holdings include the Hycroft mine in
Nevada, a development project in Bolivia, and exploration projects in North and
South America.

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The statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements
involving known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to vary materially from the targeted results. Such risks and
uncertainties include those described in the Company's Form 10-K.

For further information, please contact Investor Relations at (720) 981-1185.