7961 SHAFFER PARKWAY
SUITE 5
[LOGO] LITTLETON, COLORADO 80127
TELEPHONE (720) 981-1185
FAX (720) 981-1186
Trading Symbol: VGZ
Toronto and American Stock Exchanges
__________________________________________________________NEWS _________________
VISTA GOLD CORP. EXTENDS MINERALIZATION AT MAVERICK SPRINGS PROJECT IN NEVADA
DENVER, COLORADO DECEMBER 16, 2002 - Vista Gold Corp. (TSX & AMEX: VGZ) has
completed a 7,020-foot drill program on its Maverick Springs project,
approximately 50 miles southeast of Elko, Nevada, on the southeast extension of
the Carlin trend. The program consisted of seven vertical reverse circulation
holes, 500 feet to 2,200 feet from previously identified mineralization. All
seven holes encountered flat-lying mineralization, predominantly oxidized to
depths of up to 900 feet.
DRILL HOLE RESULTS-MAVERICK SPRINGS, DECEMBER 2002
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DRILL HOLE FROM TO THICKNESS GOLD (OZ./TON) SILVER (OZ./TON)
(FEET) (FEET) (FEET)
- ------------------ ----------------- ------------ ---------------------- ----------------- -----------------
MR129 695 940 245 0.008 1.521
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MR130 650 850 200 0.008 3.852
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Includes 670 710 40 0.008 14.129
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MR131 565 940 375 0.012 0.571
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MR132 600 925 325 0.011 0.519
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MR133 300 400 100 0.008 0.157
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MR133 515 825 310 0.008 1.016
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MR134 590 790 200 0.009 0.783
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MR135 690 800 110 0.026 3.068
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Includes 760 775 15 0.105 0.777
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The thicknesses are considered true widths. Gold assays were full assay-ton fire
assays; silver assays were atomic absorption measurements from an aqua-regia
leach solution. All assays were completed by American Assay Labs in Reno,
Nevada, with industry-standard QA/QC procedures. All intervals are weighted
averages of five-foot samples.
The program was successful in outlining continuous mineralization in a
2,200-foot by 1,200-foot area, immediately adjacent to known gold-silver
resources. With additional in-fill drilling, this newly outlined mineralization
has the potential to significantly increase the resources reported in our press
release of November 5, 2002.
The Maverick Springs mineralization occupies an area 6,000 feet by 2,500 feet,
indicating a very large mineralized system. Higher grades in gold have been
intersected in the northern-most hole, MR135; and higher silver grades were
encountered in MR130, the western-most drill hole. Maverick Springs is
considered a silver-rich Carlin-type system and the mineralization is from 100
to 400 feet thick. As previously announced, subject to completion of a formal
agreement, Vista will grant to Silver Standard Resources Inc. (TSX Venture: SSO;
Nasdaq SmallCap: SSRI) an option to acquire Vista's interest in the silver
resources hosted in the project.
The exploration program was designed and supervised by qualified person Warren
Bates, B.Sc., P.Geo., a graduate of the University of Manitoba with a B.Sc.
(Honours.) majoring in Geology (1985). He is a member of the Association of
Professional Geologists of Ontario.
Vista Gold Corp. is an international gold mining, development and exploration
company based in Littleton, Colorado. Its holdings include the Paredones
Amarillos project in Mexico; the Hycroft mine, Maverick Springs and Mountain
View projects in Nevada; and the Amayapampa project in Bolivia.
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 targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties
include those described from time to time in the Corporation's periodic reports,
including the annual report on Form 10-KSB, as amended, filed with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission. The Corporation assumes no obligation to
publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
For further information, please contact Jock McGregor or Jack Engele at (720)
981-1185, or visit the Vista Gold Corp. website at www.vistagold.com
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