Pretium Resources Inc.: Underground Drilling Continues to Intersect High-Grade Gold

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sep 9, 2013) - Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX:PVG)(NYSE:PVG) ("Pretivm") is pleased to report additional underground drill results from the Valley of the Kings Bulk Sample Program (the "Program") currently underway, as well as additional exploration drilling in the Valley of the Kings extending beyond the area of the Program. Assays from both Program and non-Program exploration underground drilling continue to confirm the projection of high-grade gold mineralized domains, with numerous intersections encountering gold grading over 1,000 grams per tonne. (See Table 1 below for assays.)

Selected drill highlights include:

• Hole VU-168 (Program hole) intersected 1,622 grams of gold uncut over 6.25 meters including 9,040 grams of gold uncut over 0.50 meters, 4,610 grams of gold uncut over 0.55 meters and 6,090 grams of gold uncut over 0.50 meters;
• Hole VU-182 (Program hole intersecting Cleopatra Vein) intersected 714.8 grams of gold uncut over 8.04 meters including 9,900 grams of gold uncut over 0.50 meters and 1,535 grams of gold uncut over 0.50 meters;
• Hole VU-136 (Exploration hole) intersected 1,100 grams of gold per tonne uncut over 0.50 meters.

Of the 15 high-grade gold intersections exceeding 1,000 grams per tonne, 11 were encountered as part of planned Program fan drilling, of which four intersected the Cleopatra Vein. Exploration drilling encountered three high-grade gold intersections exceeding 1,000 grams of gold per tonne within Domain 20 north of the 4268015N drill drift and one was encountered in an area projected to be an eastern extension of the Valley of the Kings (hole VU-136 noted above).

Bulk Sample Program

Assay results have been received and reported for 13 of the 17 planned drill fans. The number of holes planned to be completed as part of the Program has increased to 202 holes, comprising approximately 16,500 meters, from the originally planned 190 drill holes comprising approximately 15,000 meters. Drill holes have been added to certain of the drill fans and the north-bound drill holes on sections 426637.5E and 426652.5E have been lengthened to test Domain 20. The underground drilling included in the Program is expected to conclude in mid-September, with a total of 182 drill holes totaling 15,100 meters completed or in progress to date.

For cross sections of the reported drill fans from the Program please visit the following link - http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/pvg909-F1df.pdf.

The excavation of the four cross-cuts and one lateral drift planned for the 10,000-tonne bulk sample has been completed.

For a plan of the complete Program development at the Valley of the Kings please visit the following link - http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/pvg909-F2p.pdf.

The 10,000 tonnes of bulk sample material has been processed through the sample tower on site and is being transported offsite to a custom mill located in Montana. Approximately 2,000 tonnes of bulk sample material has arrived at the mill with the remaining material scheduled to arrive over the next two months. Milling of the bulk sample material will commence in late September.

Strathcona Mineral Services Ltd. ("Strathcona") has been engaged as the independent Qualified Person to oversee and report on the 10,000-tonne bulk sample for the Program.

The 1345-meter level, centered at the 426600E cross-section of the Valley of the Kings, was selected as the bulk sample location based on Strathcona's requirements that the bulk sample be excavated from an area representative of the (a) drillhole density that informs the Indicated Mineral Resource, (b) average grade of the Indicated Mineral Resource and the global resource for the Valley of the Kings, (c) proportion of low-grade, high-grade and extreme grade populations in the overall Indicated Mineral Resource and (d) style of stockwork gold mineralization characteristic of the Valley of the Kings.

Additional Underground and Surface Exploration

Excavation of a drift along the recently-discovered high-grade Cleopatra Vein in the Valley of the Kings (see news release dated July 23, 2013) is underway, with raises on Cleopatra planned following the drifting. Cleopatra has been defined for approximately 85 meters along strike, 50 meters above the 1345-meter level, 50 meters below the 1345-level and remains open in all directions. Planning is underway for additional drifting and cross-cutting in two areas: to the west of the bulk sample location, and to the north and east on Domain 20.

Underground exploration drilling is currently testing high-grade mineralization to the west, east and below the bulk sample location. Approximately 10,000 meters of underground exploration drilling is expected to be completed in addition to the 16,500 meters of drilling included in the Program, with approximately 6,500 meters completed to date.

The surface drill program at the Valley of the Kings has commenced with the first drill mobilized to site and targeting high-grade mineralization in the Valley of the Kings to the west of the bulk sample location. A second drill will be on site shortly and will follow-up on high-grade intersections at the eastern extent of the Valley of the Kings. A total of 5,000 meters is currently planned for the surface drill program.

Program Reporting

Assay results for completed fans from the underground drilling will be reported as they are received. Due to the projected time to complete assaying of the samples from the sample tower, Strathcona's report on the Program is now expected early in 2014 after compilation of all data. The amount of gold and silver produced by the mill will be reported as milling of the bulk sample progresses.

Feasibility Study Update

The Brucejack Project Feasibility Study (see news release dated June 11, 2013), and associated mine plan and Mineral Reserves, will be updated following the completion of an updated Mineral Resource estimate for the Valley of the Kings. The updated Mineral Resource estimate for the Valley of the Kings will incorporate all 2013 underground and surface drilling and will be prepared following receipt of all assays for the 2013 drill program.

Kenneth C. McNaughton, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Chief Exploration Officer, Pretium Resources Inc. is the Qualified Person (QP) responsible for the Brucejack Project exploration program.

About Pretivm

Pretivm is creating value through gold at its high-grade gold Brucejack Project, located in northern British Columbia. Brucejack hosts a major undeveloped high-grade gold resource, with Probable Mineral Reserves in the Valley of the Kings totalling 6.6 million ounces of gold (15.1 million tonnes grading 13.6 grams of gold per tonne). Brucejack is being advanced as a high-grade underground mine with an average of 425,700 ounces of gold produced annually for the first 10 years and an average of 321,500 ounces of gold produced annually over the Project's 22-year mine life. Commercial production is targeted to commence in 2016.

Forward-Looking Statements

This News Release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Forward-looking information may include, but is not limited to, risks related to our planned exploration and development activities, the adequacy of Pretivm's financial resources, the estimation of mineral reserves and resources, realization of mineral reserve and resource estimates, timing of development of Pretivm's Brucejack Project, costs and timing of future exploration, results of future exploration and drilling, production and processing estimates, capital and operating cost estimates, timelines and similar statements relating to the economic viability of the Brucejack Project, timing and receipt of approvals, consents and permits under applicable legislation, Pretivm's executive compensation approach and practice, and adequacy of financial resources. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "projects", "assumes", "budget", "strategy", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "anticipates", "believes", "intends" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking statements and information. Statements concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking information to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered if the property is developed. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, those risks identified in Pretivm's prospectus supplement to the short form base shelf prospectus dated March 19, 2012 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and in the United States through EDGAR at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking information is based on the expectations and opinions of Pretivm's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise. We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

The TSX has neither approved nor disapproved of the information contained herein.