Xtra-Gold Provides Exploration Update on Its Expanding Zone 5 Gold Corridor Where Seven Shear Zones Have Been Identified to Date

Xtra-Gold Resources Corp. ("Xtra-Gold" or the "Company") (XTG.TO) (XTGRF) is very pleased to announce channel sampling results from a new exposure of the Main Shear, in addition to initial channel sample results from 6 recently identified shear zones forming part of the Zone 5 Gold Corridor, on the Company's wholly-owned Kibi Gold Project, located in the Kibi -- Winneba greenstone belt (the "Kibi Gold Belt"), in Ghana, West Africa. Highlights of the channel sampling results and Zone 5 Gold Corridor expansion work reported today include:

Hecla Mining Company Announces CAD$796 Million Agreement to Acquire Aurizon Mines Ltd.

Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) (Hecla) (Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement (Arrangement Agreement) with Aurizon Mines Ltd. (ARZ.TO) (AZK) (Aurizon) pursuant to which Hecla will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Aurizon in a transaction with a total value of approximately CAD$796 million (the Transaction).

Under the terms of the Transaction, which is similar to a merger with a Hecla subsidiary under U.S. Law, Hecla will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Aurizon for consideration valued at CAD$4.75 per share. Each holder of Aurizon common shares (Shareholder) may elect to receive either CAD$4.75 in cash (Cash Alternative) or 0.9953 of a Hecla share (Share Alternative), subject in each case to pro-ration based on a maximum cash consideration of CAD$513,631,193 and a maximum number of Hecla shares issued of 57,000,000.

Cayden Resources Receives $7.88 Million and Provides Corporate Update

Cayden Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:CYD) ("Cayden" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received the first payment of $7.88 million USD from Desarrollos Mineros San Luis, S.A. de C.V. ("DMSL") as a result of the previously announced sale of 2,492 hectares of non core landholdings of the Morelos Sur East concession.

The second and final payment of $7.88 million USD for the Morelos Sur East Concession will be paid upon the completion of the subdivision process which is anticipated for later in 2013.

Cayden's remaining 14,584 hectares of the concession includes the Las Calles target area which Cayden plans to divest, and the La Magnetita target where Cayden is currently in the middle of a 5,000 meter drill program.

Veris Gold Corp.'s Smith Mine Exploration Drill Program Returns 7.62 m of 45.94 g/t Au at Jerritt Canyon, Nevada