Pan American Silver Corporation: Reports Updated Silver Mineral Reserves and Resources

(All amounts in US dollars unless otherwise stated and all production figures are approximate)

VANCOUVER, Feb. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS: NASDAQ; PAA: TSX) ("Pan American" or the "Company") today reported on its December 31, 2014 mineral reserves and resources. Pan American's mineral reserves are estimated to contain 300 million ounces of silver and 2.32 million ounces of gold, down from the 323.5 million ounces of silver and 2.49 million ounces of gold reported a year ago. The Company used long term metal prices assumptions of $18.50 per ounce of silver and $1,250 per ounce of gold to estimate its current reserves, both lower than the long term prices used at the end of 2013. At the same time, the Company reported that its measured and indicated silver mineral resources increased 2% to 731 million ounces, while measured and indicated gold mineral resources increased 13% to 1.8 million ounces.

The following table illustrates the changes in Pan American's estimated silver mineral reserves, year-over-year:

Commenting on last year's exploration results, Michael Steinmann, Executive Vice President Corporate Development and Geology said, "2014 was another successful exploration year as Pan American spent $16.62 million on mine-site exploration and completed over 152.5 kilometers of diamond drilling. Through these exploration activities, the Company discovered approximately 29.6 million ounces of new silver mineral reserves, while at the same time depleting 32.9 million ounces of contained silver through production and re-categorizing 20.1 million ounces of silver, primarily due to lower prices. Steinmann continued, "It is worth noting that while reserves declined modestly, the average reserve silver grade increased by 4.1% and average reserve gold grade rose by 5.5%."

During the last 11 years, our mine-site exploration efforts have been highly successful having added over 279 million ounces of silver to our mineral reserves, excluding acquisitions, more than replacing the 257.5 million ounces of silver mined in that same period.

The La Colorada mine, which holds Pan American's largest reserves, once again returned outstanding exploration results in 2014 with a net addition of 5.5 million ounces to finish the year with a record of 86 million ounces of silver mineral reserves, a 6% increase year-on-year.

Exploration activities were restricted in certain areas at La Colorada due to the development work for the mine expansion. These restrictions will continue through 2017. Once development work is completed, it is expected that exploration efforts at La Colorada will return to higher yields. In the past six years, Pan American has discovered approximately 100 million ounces of new silver mineral reserves at La Colorada, mainly in the sulphide mineralization of the NC2 and Amolillo veins. Widely spaced, deep drilling indicates that both structures potentially extend far beyond the current mineral reserves and these zones will continue to be targeted in the Company's exploration plans after the mine expansion is completed.

The San Vicente mine replaced all of the 4.5 million ounces of silver mined during 2014 and added another 0.9 million ounces of new reserves. As expected, lower precious metal price assumptions and depletion from 2014 production more than offset reserve additions at Dolores, Huaron, and Morococha. Net of 2014 production and exploration additions, reserves at Dolores declined by 0.8 million ounces of silver and increased by 52,000 ounces of gold, due to pit optimization. At Huaron, mineral reserves declined by 0.9 million ounces of silver and at Morococha reserves declined by a modest 0.2 million ounces.

The largest change was at Manantial Espejo, where silver reserves declined by 3.4 million ounces and gold diminished by 44,000 ounces. These ounces have been moved from mineral reserves to mineral resources due to lower metal prices and may be re-classified should metal prices or cost environment improve.

In 2015, Pan American expects to invest $10.0 million to complete approximately 83 kilometers of diamond drilling at its seven operating mines. In addition, the Company also plans to spend $2.1 million on greenfield exploration activities at selected projects.

Complete mineral reserve and resource information for all metals, including tonnage and grades is available at www.panamericansilver.com.

Complete silver and gold mineral reserve and resource information at December 31, 2014 is shown in the following tables:

Mineral resource and reserve estimates for Huaron, Morococha, La Colorada, Dolores, Alamo Dorado, Manantial Espejo, San Vicente, La Bolsa, Pico Machay, and Calcatreu were prepared under the supervision of, or were reviewed by Michael Steinmann, P. Geo., Executive Vice-President Corporate Development and Geology and Martin G. Wafforn, P. Eng., Vice-President Technical Services, each of whom are Qualified Persons as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). Navidad mineral resource estimates were prepared by Pamela De Mark, P. Geo., Director, Resources, formerly Sr. Consultant of Snowden Mining Industry Consultants, also a Qualified Person as that term is defined in NI 43-101. Mineral resource estimates for Hog Heaven and Waterloo are based on historical third party estimates.

Michael Steinmann and Martin Wafforn, each of whom are Qualified Persons, as the term is defined in NI 43-101, have reviewed and approved the contents of this press release.

About Pan American Silver

Pan American Silver's mission is to be the world's pre-eminent silver producer, with a reputation for excellence in discovery, engineering, innovation and sustainable development. The Company has seven operating mines in Mexico, Peru, Argentina and Bolivia. Pan American also owns several development projects in the USA, Mexico, Peru and Argentina.

THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAINS "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE UNITED STATES PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 AND "FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION" WITHIN THE MEANING OF APPLICABLE CANADIAN SECURITIES LEGISLATION.WHEN USED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE WORDS "BELIEVES", "EXPECTS", "INTENDS", "PLANS", "TARGETS", "POTENTIAL", AND OTHER SIMILAR WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS IDENTIFY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION EXPRESS, AS AT THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE COMPANY'S PLANS, ESTIMATES, FORECASTS, PROJECTIONS, EXPECTATIONS, OR BELIEFS AS TO FUTURE EVENTS OR RESULTS AND THE COMPANY DOES NOT INTEND, AND DOES NOT ASSUME ANY OBLIGATION TO, UPDATE SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION, OTHER THAN AS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW. SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO STATEMENTS AS TO: THE ACCURACY OF ESTIMATED MINERAL RESERVES AND RESOURCES, ANTICIPATED RESULTS OF FUTURE EXPLORATION; FORECAST FUTURE PRECIOUS METAL PRICES; AND EXPECTATIONS THAT METALLURGICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, PERMITTING, LEGAL, TITLE, TAXATION, SOCIO-ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, MARKETING OR OTHER ISSUES WILL NOT MATERIALLY AFFECT ESTIMATES OF MINERAL RESERVES.

THESE STATEMENTS REFLECT THE COMPANY'S CURRENT VIEWS WITH RESPECT TO FUTURE EVENTS AND ARE NECESSARILY BASED UPON A NUMBER OF ASSUMPTIONS AND ESTIMATES THAT, WHILE CONSIDERED REASONABLE BY THE COMPANY, ARE INHERENTLY SUBJECT TO SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS, ECONOMIC, COMPETITIVE, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL UNCERTAINTIES AND CONTINGENCIES.MANY FACTORS, BOTH KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS THAT ARE OR MAY BE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE AND THE COMPANY HAS MADE ASSUMPTIONS AND ESTIMATES BASED ON OR RELATED TO MANY OF THESE FACTORS. SUCH FACTORS INCLUDE, WITHOUT LIMITATION: FLUCTUATIONS IN SPOT AND FORWARD MARKETS FOR SILVER, GOLD, BASE METALS AND CERTAIN OTHER COMMODITIES (SUCH AS NATURAL GAS, FUEL OIL AND ELECTRICITY); FLUCTUATIONS IN CURRENCY MARKETS (SUCH AS THE PERUVIAN SOL, MEXICAN PESO, ARGENTINE PESO AND BOLIVIAN BOLIVIANO VERSUS THE U.S. DOLLAR); RISKS RELATED TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND OPERATIONAL NATURE OF THE COMPANY'S BUSINESS; CHANGES IN NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LEGISLATION, TAXATION, CONTROLS OR REGULATIONS AND POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN CANADA, THE UNITED STATES, MEXICO, PERU, ARGENTINA, BOLIVIA OR OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THE COMPANY MAY CARRY ON BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE; RISKS AND HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS OF MINERAL EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT AND MINING (INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS, INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, UNUSUAL OR UNEXPECTED GEOLOGICAL OR STRUCTURAL FORMATIONS, PRESSURES, CAVE-INS AND FLOODING); EMPLOYEE RELATIONS; RELATIONSHIPS WITH AND CLAIMS BY LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS; AVAILABILITY AND INCREASING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MINING INPUTS AND LABOUR; THE SPECULATIVE NATURE OF MINERAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE RISKS OF OBTAINING NECESSARY LICENSES AND PERMITS AND THE PRESENCE OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT MAY IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON MINING, INCLUDING THOSE CURRENTLY IN THE PROVINCE OF CHUBUT, ARGENTINA, WHICH DO NOT CURRENTLY ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NAVIDAD PROJECT; DIMINISHING QUANTITIES OR GRADES OF MINERAL RESERVES AS PROPERTIES ARE MINED; GLOBAL FINANCIAL CONDITIONS; CHALLENGES TO, OR DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING, THE COMPANY'S TITLE TO PROPERTIES AND CONTINUED OWNERSHIP THEREOF; THE ACTUAL RESULTS OF CURRENT EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES, CONCLUSIONS OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS, AND CHANGES IN PROJECT PARAMETERS TO DEAL WITH UNANTICIPATED ECONOMIC OR OTHER FACTORS; INCREASED COMPETITION IN THE MINING INDUSTRY FOR PROPERTIES, EQUIPMENT, QUALIFIED PERSONNEL, AND THEIR COSTS; AND THOSE FACTORS IDENTIFIED UNDER THE CAPTION "RISKS RELATED TO PAN AMERICAN'S BUSINESS" IN THE COMPANY'S MOST RECENT FORM 40F AND ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM FILED WITH THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION AND CANADIAN PROVINCIAL SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES.INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED AGAINST ATTRIBUTING UNDUE CERTAINTY OR RELIANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS.ALTHOUGH THE COMPANY HAS ATTEMPTED TO IDENTIFY IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY, THERE MAY BE OTHER FACTORS THAT CAUSE RESULTS NOT TO BE AS ANTICIPATED, ESTIMATED, DESCRIBED OR INTENDED. THE COMPANY DOES NOT INTEND, AND DOES NOT ASSUME ANY OBLIGATION, TO UPDATE THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION TO REFLECT CHANGES IN ASSUMPTIONS OR CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCES OR ANY OTHER EVENTS AFFECTING SUCH STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION, OTHER THAN AS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO US INVESTORS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MINERAL RESERVES AND RESOURCES

THIS NEWS RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CANADIAN PROVINCIAL SECURITIES LAWS, WHICH DIFFER FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS. UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, ALL MINERAL RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES INCLUDED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE HAVE BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CANADIAN NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 43-101 – STANDARDS OF DISCLOSURE FOR MINERAL PROJECTS (''NI 43-101'') AND THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGY AND PETROLEUM CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. NI 43-101 IS A RULE DEVELOPED BY THE CANADIAN SECURITIES ADMINISTRATORS THAT ESTABLISHES STANDARDS FOR ALL PUBLIC DISCLOSURE AN ISSUER MAKES OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONCERNING MINERAL PROJECTS.

CANADIAN STANDARDS, INCLUDING NI 43-101, DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE "SEC"), AND INFORMATION CONCERNING MINERALIZATION, DEPOSITS, MINERAL RESERVE AND RESOURCE INFORMATION CONTAINED OR REFERRED TO HEREIN MAY NOT BE COMPARABLE TO SIMILAR INFORMATION DISCLOSED BY U.S. COMPANIES. IN PARTICULAR, AND WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, THIS PRESS RELEASE USES THE TERMS ''MEASURED RESOURCES'', ''INDICATED RESOURCES'' AND ''INFERRED RESOURCES''. U.S. INVESTORS ARE ADVISED THAT, WHILE SUCH TERMS ARE RECOGNIZED AND REQUIRED BY CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS, THE SEC DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THEM. THE REQUIREMENTS OF NI 43-101 FOR IDENTIFICATION OF "RESERVES" ARE NOT THE SAME AS THOSE OF THE SEC, AND RESERVES REPORTED BY PAN AMERICAN IN COMPLIANCE WITH NI 43-101 MAY NOT QUALIFY AS "RESERVES" UNDER SEC STANDARDS. UNDER U.S. STANDARDS, MINERALIZATION MAY NOT BE CLASSIFIED AS A ''RESERVE'' UNLESS THE DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE THAT THE MINERALIZATION COULD BE ECONOMICALLY AND LEGALLY PRODUCED OR EXTRACTED AT THE TIME THE RESERVE DETERMINATION IS MADE. U.S. INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO ASSUME THAT ANY PART OF A "MEASURED RESOURCE" OR "INDICATED RESOURCE" WILL EVER BE CONVERTED INTO A "RESERVE". U.S. INVESTORS SHOULD ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT "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 "INFERRED RESOURCES" EXIST, ARE ECONOMICALLY OR LEGALLY MINEABLE OR WILL EVER BE UPGRADED TO A HIGHER CATEGORY. UNDER CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS, ESTIMATED "INFERRED RESOURCES" MAY NOT FORM THE BASIS OF FEASIBILITY OR PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDIES EXCEPT IN RARE CASES.DISCLOSURE OF "CONTAINED OUNCES" IN A MINERAL RESOURCE IS PERMITTED DISCLOSURE UNDER CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS. HOWEVER, THE SEC NORMALLY ONLY PERMITS ISSUERS TO REPORT MINERALIZATION THAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE "RESERVES" BY SEC STANDARDS AS IN PLACE TONNAGE AND GRADE, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO UNIT MEASURES. ACCORDINGLY, INFORMATION CONCERNING MINERAL DEPOSITS SET FORTH HEREIN MAY NOT BE COMPARABLE WITH INFORMATION MADE PUBLIC BY COMPANIES THAT REPORT IN ACCORDANCE WITH U.S. STANDARDS.

SOURCE Pan American Silver Corp.