Aura Minerals and Rio Novo Gold Announce Mailing of Meeting Materials for Upcoming Special Meetings of Shareholders to Consider Merger

TORONTO, Jan. 31, 2018 - Aura Minerals Inc. (TSX:ORA) (“Aura”) and Rio Novo Gold Inc. (TSX:RN) (“Rio Novo”) are pleased to announce that they have mailed the meeting materials for the upcoming special meetings of Aura shareholders and Rio Novo shareholders (the “Meetings”). At the Meetings, Aura and Rio Novo shareholders will be asked to consider the previously announced proposed merger of Aura and Rio Novo (the “Merger”) and to vote on resolutions approving the Merger. The Meetings will be held on February 22, 2018. The meeting materials, which include the joint management proxy circular dated January 23, 2018 and related voting materials, have also been filed on SEDAR under the profiles of Aura and Rio Novo.

Under the Merger, all Rio Novo shares (other than shares held by certain ineligible shareholders or in respect of which dissent rights have been validly exercised) will be converted into Aura shares. Upon completion of the Merger, Aura will be merged with Rio Novo and Aura will continue as the surviving company.


About Aura

Aura is a mid-tier gold and copper production company focused on the development and operation of gold and base metal projects in the Americas. Aura’s assets include producing gold mines in Brazil and Honduras and a copper-gold-silver mine in Mexico currently under care-and-maintenance. On December 1, 2017, Aura announced that it has agreed to sell its copper-gold-iron Serrote da Laje project in Brazil for US$40 million.


About Rio Novo

Rio Novo is a gold mining exploration company with projects in the Americas. Rio Novo has two projects in Brazil, the Almas Gold Project and the Matupá Gold Project, and one project in Colombia, the Tolda Fria Gold Project.


Disclaimer

This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements”, as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”), with respect to the Merger and the Meetings. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, as such statements are inherently uncertain and are subject to known and unknown risks.



Contact:

For further information on Aura, please visit Aura’s web site at www.auraminerals.com or contact:
Aura Minerals Inc.
E-mail: info@auraminerals.com

For further information on Rio Novo, please contact:
Rio Novo Gold Inc.
E-mail: patrick.panero@Rnovogold.com