Denver, Colorado, October 31, 2006: Golden Star Resources Ltd. (AMEX: GSS; TSX: GSC) today announced that the Government of Ghana, through its Ministry of National Security, has initiated a country-wide operation to remove illegal miners from legal mineral concessions in Ghana. These illegal mining operations are widespread and include the concessions of Newmont, Gold Fields and AngloGold Ashanti in Ghana as well as our concessions at Bogoso/Prestea, Wassa and Hwini-Butre and Benso.
The action follows a long period of sensitization and education by the Government, which included the introduction of improved mechanisms for these miners to apply for small-scale mining permits in their own right, to mine on areas not already held by mining companies. Government also conducted a public campaign to educate the illegal miners and the community on the short-term and long-term dangers of the illegal mining activities.
Peter Bradford, President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Star, stated “Illegal miners are not governed by rules and regulation, use mercury to recover the gold and are not accountable for the environmental degradation or reclamation. The recent damage to the Bondaye shaft on our Prestea property underscores the adverse effect that illegal mining can have on the health and safety of our employees, the local community and the illegal miners themselves.” “We are therefore appreciative of the Government efforts to protect our mining properties allowing their orderly exploration and development. Our mining and exploration activities in Ghana provide direct employment to over 3,000 people in Ghana as well as indirect employment to many more. In addition to the employment, our mining activities fund a community development trust and a long term initiative to create a sustainable oil palm project in the catchment area around our mines. Although we have no control over the timing or extent of the exercise, we understand that it has been carefully planned by the agencies involved, with the goal of removing the illegal miners as peacefully as possible. We are confident that the longer-term benefits resulting from enforcement of Ghana’s laws in the mining sector will be important for Ghana and its people.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Golden Star holds a 90 percent equity interest in the Bogoso/Prestea and Wassa open-pit gold mines in Ghana. In addition, the Company has a majority interest in the currently inactive Prestea Underground mine in Ghana, as well as gold exploration interests elsewhere in West Africa and in the Guiana Shield of South America. Golden Star has approximately 207.8 million common shares outstanding.
Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information: Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information: Some statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the efforts of the Government of Ghana to remove illegal miners from mining concessions of Golden Star and others and the benefits expected from enforcement of Ghana’s laws in the mining sector. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including the possible failure of the Ghana government to succeed in its efforts to remove illegal miners from Golden Star’s concessions or unexpected consequences of that removal including but not limited to actions by groups or individuals leading to the injury of our personnel, damage to our equipment and the temporary cessation of our mining and/or processing operations. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. Please refer to the discussion of these and other factors in our Form 10-K for 2005.
For further information, please contact:
GOLDEN STAR RESOURCES LTD. +1-800-553-8436
Peter Bradford, President and CEO
Bruce Higson-Smith, Vice President Corporate Development
Anne Hite, Investor Relations Manager
