Almaden Announces Notification of Court Decision and Updates Progress on Environmental Permit Application and Human Rights Impact Assessment

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almaden Minerals Ltd. (“Almaden” or “the Company”; TSX: AMM; NYSE American: AAU) reports that, further to its press releases of April 27 and February 17, 2022, Mexico’s Ministry of the Economy (“Economia”) has now been officially notified of the April, 2022 decision of the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico (“SCJN”), and has in turn notified Almaden that the Company’s mineral titles relating to the Ixtaca project are “ineffective” but that the Company’s mineral title applications were filed in conformity with the Mexican mineral title law. The Company understands this to mean that the mineral title has reverted to application status, and that these applications preserve the mineral rights for Almaden but do not allow the Company to engage in exploration, until such time as Economia completes its court-ordered indigenous consultation in the area covered by the mineral title applications.

Duane Poliquin, Chair of Almaden, stated, “With the completion of this legal case, the ball is now in Economia’s court to quickly and effectively complete all the requirements and re issue the mineral titles. While it is the government’s responsibility to correct its mineral title issuance procedures, Almaden stands ready to cooperate in any manner it can.”

As previously reported, in its final decision the SCJN takes note of the application of international law and jurisprudence to the implementation of consultation by Mexican authorities with relevant indigenous communities. The final decision provides additional detail to Mexican authorities regarding the procedures required to be followed by those authorities in the performance of indigenous consultation prior to the grant of mineral claims. The decision also clarifies that unless there is a significant impact on the rights of an indigenous community caused by the granting of the mineral title, such as relocation or something similar, title issuance is not dependent upon the consent of the indigenous community in question. As previously disclosed, the Company has no interest in holding mineral claims over the land of the indigenous community which initiated this legal case.