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                                                                  EXHIBIT 99.1

[VISTA GOLD 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. SIGNS AGREEMENTS TO ACQUIRE WILDCAT GOLD PROPERTY IN NEVADA,
INITIATES DRILLING AT MOUNTAIN VIEW

DENVER, COLORADO. OCTOBER 30, 2003 - Vista Gold Corp. (TSX & AMEX: VGZ) is
pleased to announce that it has signed agreements to acquire a 100% interest
in the Wildcat gold project located about 35 miles northwest of Lovelock in
Pershing County, Nevada.

Vista recently concluded a due diligence review and executed formal purchase
agreements to acquire the claims comprising the project and the associated
exploration data in three separate transactions. The total consideration for
these transactions was 50,000 Vista shares and US$250,000 paid on signing,
US$300,000 payable by August 15, 2004, US$50,000 payable by October 12, 2004
and an additional US$500,000 payable at commencement of commercial
production. The project consists of 74 unpatented claims and 4 patented
claims. NSR-type royalties vary from 0.4% to 1% on 73 unpatented claims, and
there are no royalties on the remainder.

Resource studies in compliance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 were
performed by Mine Development Associates of Reno, Nevada, an independent
consulting firm, under the supervision of Mr. Neil Prenn, P.Eng., a qualified
person. Resources were calculated using industry-standard block modeling
software on data from one underground channel sample, 245 reverse circulation
drill holes and 11 diamond drill holes totaling 95,466 feet. Based on the
studies, mineral resources(1) above a 0.010 opt. gold cut-off are:

<Table>
<Caption>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Gold Grade
                     Short Tons        (Troy oz./ton)        Contained Ounces
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    
Indicated(2)         38,108,300            0.018                  679,800
Inferred(3)          28,354,600            0.015                  435,600
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
</Table>

- --------

(1)  Mineral resources, which are not mineable reserves, do not have
     demonstrated economic viability.

(2)  CAUTIONARY NOTE TO U.S. INVESTORS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF INDICATED
     RESOURCES: This table uses the term "indicated resources". We advise
     U.S. investors that while this term is recognized and required by
     Canadian regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does
     not recognize it. U.S. INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO ASSUME THAT ANY
     PART OR ALL OF MINERAL DEPOSITS IN THIS CATEGORY WILL EVER BE CONVERTED
     INTO RESERVES.

(3) CAUTIONARY NOTE TO U.S. INVESTORS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF INFERRED
    RESOURCES: This table uses the term "inferred resources". We advise U.S.
    investors that while this term is recognized and required by Canadian
    regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize
    it. "Inferred 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 a
    feasibility or other economic study. U.S. INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED NOT
    TO ASSUME THAT ANY PART OR ALL OF AN INFERRED RESOURCE EXISTS OR IS
    ECONOMICALLY OR LEGALLY MINEABLE.
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Vista President and CEO Jock McGregor commented, "The acquisition of Wildcat
is another step in Vista's strategy to grow by acquiring and adding value to
properties we believe contain high quality gold resources in low risk
environments."

In other developments, Vista has initiated a five hole, 4,000 foot reverse
circulation drilling program at its Mountain View property in Nevada.

Vista Gold Corp., based in Littleton, Colorado, evaluates and acquires gold
projects with defined gold resources. Additional exploration and technical
studies are undertaken to maximize the value of the projects for eventual
development. The Corporation's holdings include the Maverick Springs,
Mountain View, Hasbrouck, Three Hills, Hycroft and Wildcat projects in
Nevada, the Long Valley project in California, the Paredones Amarillos and
Guadalupe De Los Reyes projects in Mexico, 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-K 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 at (720) 981-1185, or
visit the Vista Gold Corp. website at www.vistagold.com