Rubicon Minerals Announces the Filing of its Third Quarter 2018 Results and a Preliminary Base Shelf Prospectus

TSX: RMX | OTCQX: RBYCF

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./

TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2018 -  Rubicon Minerals Corporation (TSX: RMX | OTCQX: RBYCF) ("Rubicon" or the "Company") announces that it has filed its Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. The Company confirms that copies of these interim filings can be obtained at www.rubiconminerals.com or www.sedar.com. Rubicon also announces that it has filed a preliminary short form base shelf prospectus with the Securities Commissions in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, except Québec.

Recent Highlights:

• Test trial mining and bulk sample program complete: Rubicon has completed its test trial mining activity and has processed more than 35,000 tonnes of mineralized bulk sample material extracted from three test stopes and additional mineralized material from smaller pre-developed stopes in the F2 Gold Deposit. Rubicon remains on schedule to provide the full results of the bulk sample program and its reconciliation to the block model by the end of 2018.
  
  
• Exploration Drift at the 610-Metre Level Complete: The Company has completed the 280-metre exploration drift at the 610-metre level, which runs parallel to the strike of the F2 Gold Deposit and continues with its drilling activities on its planned 24,000 m exploration program. As of November 7, 2018, the Company has completed 21,353 m.
  
  
• Cash position: As of November 7, 2018, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of approximately C$13.3 million.
  
  
• Exploration and evaluation expenditures: For the third quarter of 2018, the Company spent approximately C$6.8 million in expenditures related to underground development, drilling, maintenance and technical consulting fees which were offset by C$1.9 million in proceeds recognized from the sale of precious metals. Expenditures were up C$1.3 million versus the second quarter of 2018 as the Company ramped up spending on the mill facility for the duration of the bulk sample program. The Company anticipates exploration and evaluation expenditures to decrease significantly in the fourth quarter of 2018, primarily due to the conclusion of the bulk sample program as well as a significant increase in recognized proceeds from the sale of precious metals.
  
  
• General and administrative expenses (including salaries and benefits, and consulting and professional fees): For the third quarter of 2018, the Company spent approximately C$1.1 million on expenditures related to general and administrative, salaries and benefits, and consulting and professional fees. Expenditures were down C$0.4 million compared to the second quarter of 2018 primarily related to consulting and professional fees, lower overhead costs, and lower compensation expenses.
  
  
• Tailings Management Facility ("TMF"): During the third quarter of 2018 the Company commissioned a metal effluent treatment plant for the purposes of discharging water from the TMF. Subsequent to quarter-end the Company was able to discharge water from the TMF for two weeks under existing permits as it continued to comply with all environmental discharge requirements.

Please refer to our Financial Statements and MD&A for the quarter-ended September 30, 2018 for further details.

Filing of Preliminary Base Shelf Prospectus

The Company also announces that it has filed a preliminary short form base shelf prospectus with the Securities Commissions in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, except Québec. The base shelf prospectus will allow Rubicon to make offerings of up to C$100.0 million of common shares, debt securities, subscription receipts, warrants and units (all of the foregoing, collectively, the "Securities") or any combination thereof. When final, the base shelf prospectus will be effective for a 25-month period. The specific terms of any offering of Securities, including the use of proceeds from any offering, will be set forth in a shelf prospectus supplement. The Company has filed this base shelf prospectus to maintain financial flexibility but has no immediate intentions to undertake an offering.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these Securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

About Rubicon Minerals Corporation
Rubicon Minerals Corp. is an advanced gold exploration company that owns the Phoenix Gold Project, located in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Additionally, Rubicon controls over 285 square kilometres of prime exploration ground in Red Lake and more than 900 square kilometres of mineral property interests in the emerging Long Canyon gold district that straddles the Nevada-Utah border in the United States. Rubicon's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (RMX) and the OTCQX markets (RBYCF). For more information, please visit our website at www.rubiconminerals.com.  

RUBICON MINERALS CORPORATION
George Ogilvie, P.Eng.
President, CEO, and Director

Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements and other Cautionary Notes

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "intends", "may", "will", "should", "plans", "anticipates", "potential", "expects", "estimates", "forecasts", "budget", "likely", "goal" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may or may not be achieved or occur in the future. In some cases, forward-looking information may be stated in the present tense, such as in respect of current matters that may be continuing, or that may have a future impact or effect. Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the potential timing of the results of and the reconciliation of the bulk sample process to the 2018 Mineral Resource block model exercise, the anticipated level of future exploration and evaluation expenditures, the details and timing of the planned drilling activities to take place at the 610-metre level, the base shelf prospectus becoming final and permitting the Company to offer Securities, how long the base shelf prospectus will be effective, and the terms of any future offerings, including the use of proceeds from any offering, being set forth in a prospectus supplement.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and represent management's best judgment based on facts and assumptions that management considers reasonable. If such opinions and estimates prove to be incorrect, actual and future results may be materially different than expressed in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Rubicon to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery or throughput rates; uncertainty of mineral resources, inability to realize exploration potential, mineral grades and mineral recovery estimates; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of reclamation activities; uncertainty of future operations, delays in completion of exploration plans for any reason including insufficient capital, delays in permitting, and labour issues; conclusions of future economic or geological evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents and other risks of the mining industry; delays and other risks related to operations; timing and receipt of regulatory approvals; the ability of Rubicon and other relevant parties to satisfy regulatory requirements; the ability of Rubicon to comply with its obligations under material agreements including financing agreements; the availability of financing for proposed programs and working capital requirements on reasonable terms; the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services on reasonable terms and in a timely manner; risks associated with the ability to retain key executives and key operating personnel; cost of environmental expenditures and potential environmental liabilities; dissatisfaction or disputes with local communities or First Nations or Aboriginal Communities; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; market conditions and general business, economic, competitive, political and social conditions; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or obtain adequate financing to fund our capital expenditures and working capital needs and meet our other obligations; the volatility of our stock price, and the ability of our common stock to remain listed and traded on the TSX.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Rubicon disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are advised to carefully review and consider the risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form dated March 22, 2018 under the heading "Risk Factors" and in other continuous disclosure documents of the Company filed at www.sedar.com for a discussion of the factors that could cause Rubicon's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers are further cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors is not exhaustive and it is recommended that prospective investors consult the more complete discussion of Rubicon's business, financial condition and prospects that is included in this news release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Readers Regarding Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources

This news release uses the terms "Measured" and "Indicated" Mineral Resources and "Inferred" Mineral Resources. The Company advises U.S. investors that while these terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities administrators, they are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of "Measured" and "Indicated" Mineral Resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of Proven and Probable Reserves. The estimation of "Inferred" resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of a "Measured", "Inferred" or "Indicated" mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. 

Under Canadian rules, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility studies, pre-feasibility studies or other economic studies, except in prescribed cases, such as in a preliminary economic assessment under certain circumstances. 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. 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 or all of a "measured", "indicated" or "inferred" mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Information concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources contained herein may not be comparable to information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the SEC.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

SOURCE Rubicon Minerals Corp.