TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - April 21, 2016) - Aura Minerals Inc. (the "Company") (TSX: ORA) announces that it has suspended operations at its San Andres gold mine ("San Andres") in Honduras.

The decision to suspend operations at San Andres has been taken as a result of approximately 20 individuals unlawfully entering the mine site and forcefully disrupting normal operations. The Company believes that the views of the unauthorized individuals do not represent those of the majority of the communities surrounding San Andres. 

The Company complies with all local and Canadian laws in addition to maintaining strong and respectful community relationships while promoting the health, education and welfare of the local communities. The Company operates in a transparent and ethical manner to ensure a safe, productive, and healthy work environment for all our employees and contractors and will not tolerate any environment that promotes discrimination or harassment.

As a result of the forceful disruption and subsequent suspension of operations, the permanent employment of approximately 1,000 direct and indirect local employees and contractors has been suspended until such time as the situation is resolved.

Management is confident that a resolution will be forthcoming as it works with all parties to peacefully resolve the current situation and will provide appropriate updates as additional information becomes available.

Cautionary Note

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements," as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements.") All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the Company's current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, without limitation, statements with respect to the suspension of operations and the resolution of the current situation at the San Andres mine.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to predict or control could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Annual Information Form on file with certain Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements, which include, without limitation, commodity price volatility, changes in debt and equity markets, the uncertainties involved in interpreting geological data, increases in costs, environmental compliance and changes in environmental legislation and regulation, interest rate and exchange rate fluctuations, general economic conditions and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the forward-looking statements. 

All forward-looking statements herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.