Dec 13 (Reuters) - Pretium Resources Inc
said gold output from a sample production program at its
flagship gold exploration project topped its target by about 47
percent.


The company's shares rose as much as 12 percent after the
Canadian miner said it produced 5,865 ounces of gold from 10,302
dry tonnes of ore from the program, dubbed "Valley of the
Kings", at Brucejack in British Columbia.


Vancouver-based Pretium also reported silver production of
4,950 ounces.


The company had targeted to produce 4,000 ounces of gold
from 10,000 tonnes of ore.


Shares of Pretium, which has a market value of about C$623
million ($586 million), were up 5 percent at C$6.13 on the
Toronto Stock Exchange in early trading on Friday.


The U.S.-listed shares of the company were up 3.8 percent at
$5.79 on the New York Stock Exchange.