High River Gold Mines Ltd. First Default Status Report

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 03/28/12 -- High River Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: HRG) ("High River" or the "Company") is providing its first Default Status Report in accordance with National Policy 12-203 - Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults ("NP 12-203"). On March 1, 2012, High River announced that the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") has noted the Company in default of its continuous disclosure obligations under Ontario securities law due to the Company not having filed National Instrument 43-101 compliant technical reports to support the current mineral reserves and mineral resources at its Zun-Holba and Irokinda mines. A management cease trade order in respect of the Company was issued by the OSC on March 15, 2012.

High River previously disclosed that it anticipated that a new technical report for each of the Zun-Holba and Irokinda mines (the "Technical Reports") would be completed by March 30, 2012 and the Company would file such reports concurrently with its annual filings. However, the preparation of the Technical Reports is taking longer than anticipated and consequently the anticipated filing date of the Technical Reports has been delayed. High River currently anticipates filing the new Technical Reports by April 16, 2012. Other than this delay in the anticipated filing date for the Technical Reports, High River reports that since announcing the original Notice of Default on March 1, 2012, there have not been any material changes to the information contained therein, nor any failure by High River to fulfill its intentions as stated therein, and there are no additional defaults or anticipated defaults subsequent to such announcement. Furthermore, there have been no additional material changes in respect of High River and its affairs that have not been generally disclosed.


About High River

High River Gold Mines Ltd. is an unhedged gold company with interests in producing mines, development and advanced exploration projects in Russia and Burkina Faso. Two underground mines, Zun-Holba and Irokinda, are situated in the Lake Baikal region of Russia. Two open pit gold mines, Berezitovy in Russia and Taparko-Bouroum in Burkina Faso, are also in production. Finally, High River has a 90% interest in a development project, the Bissa gold project in Burkina Faso, and a 50% interest in an advanced exploration project with NI 43-101 compliant resource estimates, the Prognoz silver project in Russia.


FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This release contains forward-looking statements. Wherever possible, words such as "intends", "expects", "scheduled", "estimates", "anticipates", "believes", and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, High River cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause events and achievements to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve significant known and unknown risks, assumptions and uncertainties that may cause High River's actual results, events, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although High River has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended, including those risk factors discussed in the Company's 2010 Annual Information Form. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and High River assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, unless otherwise required by law.



Contacts:

High River Gold Mines Ltd.
Yury Lopukhin, CFO
011 7 495 981 0910 ext. 6821
info@hrg.ca
www.hrg.ca