Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp. - Focus on Resource Conversion Proves Successful at Jerritt Canyon, Nevada

VANCOUVER, April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp. (TSX: YNG) (Frankfurt Xetra Exchange: NG6) announces that proven and probable reserves at its 100% owned Jerritt Canyon operating gold mine in Elko County, Nevada, estimated at year-end 2011, have increased to 1,060,800 ounces of gold at a grade of 0.175 ounces of gold per ton (opt) or 6.00 grams of gold per tonne (gpt).  These reserves are within a newly estimated measured and indicated resource of 2,319,200 ounces of gold at a grade of 0.189 opt (6.48 gpt).  The inferred resource at Jerritt Canyon is an additional 748,400 ounces of Au at a grade of 0.182 opt (6.24 gpt).  The attached tables summarize the newly calculated reserves and resources by area.  A map showing the area locations can be seen on the Company's web site here: http://www.yukon-nevadagold.com/i/pdf/JCModelAreas2011.pdf. Jerritt Canyon is operated by Queenstake Resources USA Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp. ("YNG" or the "Company").

Table 1.  Jerritt Canyon Mineral Reserves:  December 31, 2011

Jerritt Canyon's proven and probable reserves on January 1, 2011 were 717,000 ounces of gold.  These were depleted by approximately 55,270 ounces as a result of mining during 2011 which includes stockpile depletion.  The current proven and probable reserve as of December 31, 2011 therefore represents an addition of 399,100 ounces of gold.

Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp.'s Vice President of Exploration, Todd W. Johnson, commented, "A lot of excellent work has been done since 2009 by the Jerritt Technical team and the reserve increase may be attributed to the resource conversion drilling success by the on-site Geologic team, with some additions due to the remodeling of the deposits with updated mining costs and economics."

The 2011 year-end reserve estimate was calculated using a gold price of $1,275US per ounce.  The Murray Mine and Smith Mine exhibited the most significant increase in reserves compared to the previous year.

The updated mineral resource estimate incorporates a new property-wide Vulcan three-dimensional geological model which includes new surface and underground drilling results completed from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.  Jerritt Canyon's measured and indicated mineral resource has decreased by 70,700 ounces of gold.  The decrease of resources is a result of using different modeling methods, and sterilization of gold mineralization adjacent to abandoned underground workings, partially offset by higher gold prices relative to the January 1, 2011 resource.  In addition, approximately 90% of the total drilling conducted at Jerritt Canyon in 2011 was resource conversion drilling with very little exploration.

Table 2.  Jerritt Canyon Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, Including Reserves:  December 31, 2011

Table 3.  Jerritt Canyon Inferred Mineral Resources:  December 31, 2011

The 2011 Jerritt Canyon mineral resources were estimated by Mark Odell, P.E. and Owner of Practical Mining LLC, who is the independent Qualified Person for the December 31, 2011 Mineral Resources and Reserves as defined by NI 43-101.  Practical Mining LLC is preparing an updated NI 43-101 Technical Report which will include these new resource and reserve results that will be separated by open pit and underground mining methods.

It is anticipated that this NI 43-101 Technical Report will be available and released on April 27, 2012.  Mark Odell has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release, and is the Qualified Person for this news release.

The mineral resources have been estimated in accordance with the standards adopted by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Council in August 2000, as amended, and prescribed by the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp. is a North American gold producer in the business of discovering, developing, and operating gold deposits.  The Company holds a diverse portfolio of gold, silver, zinc and copper properties in the Yukon Territory and British Columbia in Canada and in Nevada in the United States.  The Company's focus has been on the acquisition and development of late stage development and operating properties with gold as the primary target.  Continued growth will occur by increasing or initiating production from the Company's existing properties.

The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

WARNING: The Company relies upon litigation protection for "forward-looking" statements.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States.  The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Regarding Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources:  This press release uses the terms "measured," "indicated and "inferred" "resources."  We advise U.S. investors that while these terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the U.S. SEC does not recognize them.  "Inferred resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility.  It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category.  Under Canadian rules, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of a feasibility study or prefeasibility studies, or economic studies except for Preliminary Assessment as defined under NI 43-101.  The SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.  U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of a measured, indicated or inferred mineral inventory resource exists or is economically or legally mineable.

SOURCE Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp.