Lake Shore Gold Announces Plans to Aggressively Advance Timmins Projects, Arranges $100 Million In Financing

• Press Release
• Source: Lake Shore Gold Corp.
• On 8:58 am EST, Thursday November 19, 2009

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 19, 2009) - Lake Shore Gold Corp. (TSX:LSG - News;"Lake Shore Gold," "the Company" or "LSG") today announced an agreement with Hochschild Mining Holdings Ltd. ("Hochschild"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hochschild Mining plc (LSE:HOC- News), to raise $85.0 million through a private placement transaction for 19.2 million shares at a price of $4.43 per share. In addition, the Company announced a non-brokered structured flow-through financing co-led by Wellington West Capital Markets Inc. and Canaccord Capital Corporation for the issuance of 2.7 million shares at an average price of $5.94 per share for net proceeds of $15.0 million.

Hochschild will, through the private placement, increase its interest in the Company to approximately 36% of the common shares (on a fully diluted basis) from the current level of approximately 32%. Under the terms of the Strategic Alliance Agreement, entered into as part of a financing completed in February 2008, Hochschild's ownership in Lake Shore Gold is limited to 40% of the outstanding common shares (on a fully diluted basis). The limitation under the Strategic Alliance Agreement expires on November 22, 2010.

Anthony (Tony) Makuch, President and CEO of Lake Shore Gold, commented: "Hochschild's additional investment in Lake Shore Gold, at a premium to market, is a strong endorsement of the quality of Lake Shore Gold's projects and the progress we are making. We appreciate Hochschild's ongoing support, which benefits all shareholders, and its continued commitment to the Strategic Alliance Agreement we signed early last year. Together, the two transactions announced today represent a blended 18% premium to yesterday's close. When compared to the expected price and costs related to a marketed transaction, the premium is approximately 30%.

"The funds being received from these transactions will support our plans to move all of our projects forward as aggressively as possible. We expect to produce 100,000 ounces of gold in 2010 and then to build production over the following three years to upwards of 350,000 ounces annually. Over the next 12 months, we will bring the Timmins Mine to commercial production, establish National Instrument 43-101 resources at Thunder Creek and the Bell Creek Complex, commence processing ore from the advanced exploration programs at Thunder Creek and the Bell Creek Complex and complete the expansion of the Bell Creek Mill to 3,000 tonnes per day. We also plan to significantly increase our exploration spending to $29 million with a focus on our Timmins West properties, including the Timmins Mine, Thunder Creek and additional targets acquired through the recently completed business combination with West Timmins Mining, as well as our Bell Creek Complex properties, including a large land position we have agreed to acquire from Goldcorp."

In addition to the $29 million of exploration spending in 2010, Lake Shore Gold also today announced that the Company is forecasting 2010 project spending of $134 million (before proceeds from anticipated gold sales). Of the project spending, new projects account for approximately $58 million, including $30 million for the expansion of the Bell Creek Mill in 2010 to 3,000 tonnes per day and $28 million for an underground advanced exploration program at Thunder Creek (see Figure 1.), which commenced earlier this month. The remaining $76 million relates to continued progress at the Bell Creek Complex and work to advance the Timmins Mine to commercial production, which the Company expects to achieve in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Both transactions announced today are subject to final documentation as well as to TSX and other customary regulatory approvals. The funds raised from the issuance of the flow-through shares shall be used for general exploration expenditures, which will constitute Canadian Exploration Expenditures ("CEE") as defined in the Income Tax Act. Finder's fees will be payable to certain parties, including Wellington West Capital Markets Inc. and Canaccord Capital Corporation, in relation to the offering of flow-through shares.