High River Gold Second Default Status Report

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 04/13/12 -- High [wp=92]River Gold Mines Ltd.[/wp] (TSX: HRG) ("High River" or the "Company") is providing its second 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 reports that since filing its first Default Status Report on March 28, 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.

High Rive continues to anticipate that a new technical report for each of the Zun-Holba and Irokinda mines (the "Technical Reports") will be filed by April 16, 2012 and will continue to provide bi-weekly updates, as contemplated by NP 12-203, until the Technical Reports have been filed.

The Company also wishes to further clarify several historical figures that were reported in the Company's press release dated April 2, 2012, which corrected Selected Financial Results in the press release issued on March 30, 2012. Several figures for 2010 and 2009 were disclosed in Canadian GAAP, rather than IFRS and the Company wishes to clarify the figures, which are set out below.

The 2010 results figures under IFRS are: "Net income (loss)" is 111,658, "Net income (loss) per share (basic)" is 0.13 and "Total Assets" is 812,463. The 2009 results figure under IFRS is: "Total Assets" is 692,020.

About High River

High River 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 2011 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 [wp=92]River Gold Mines Ltd.[/wp]

Yury Lopukhin

CFO

011 7 495 981 0910 ext. 6821
info@hrg.ca
www.hrg.ca