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PershingGoldAnnouncesPositivePreliminaryFeasibilityStudyfor

ReliefCanyonLAKEWOOD,Colo.,June5,2017(PRNEWSWIRE)—PershingGoldCorporation(NASDAQ:PGLC)(TSX:PGLC)(FWB:7PG1)("PershingGold"orthe"Company"),theemergingNevadagoldproducer,todayannouncesthecompletionofaNI43-101compliantresourceandPreliminaryFeasibilityStudy(“PFS”)onitsReliefCanyonMineinPershingCounty,Nevada.Mine Development Associates (“MDA”), Kappes Cassidy & Associates, of Reno, NV andJorgensen Engineering and Technical Services, of Centennial, CO, completed the PFS for theCompany’sReliefCanyongoldminewithaneffectivedateofMay26,2017.ThepositivePFSby MDA recommends that Pershing Gold advance the Relief Canyon Project to aproductiondecision.HighlightsfromthePFSincludeapre-taxnetpresentvalue(“NPV”)of$144.6 million, an internal rate of return (“IRR”) of 89% and Net Cash Flow of $192.7million.ThisNPV,IRRandNetCashFlowassumepre-taxeconomicsusing$1,250perounce(“/oz”) of gold (“Au”), $16.75/oz of silver (“Ag”) and a 5% discount rate. Further highlightsfrom the PFS are listed below in Table 1 (showing updates to the Preliminary EconomicAssessment(“PEA”)theCompanyannouncedonJune24,2016),andPFSgoldpricesensitivitiesarelistedbelowinTable2.

“ThePFSisamajormilestoneforPershingGold.Weannouncedanupgradedmineralresourcethat includesprovenandprobablereservesofapproximately635,000ouncesofgoldand1.6millionouncesofsilver,”statedStephenD.Alfers,PershingGold’sChairmanandCEO.“ThePFSisbasedonamineplanandfinancialmodelwithanannualaverageproductionofover90,000ouncesofgoldperyearoveraminelifeofapproximatelysixyears.TheReliefCanyondepositremains open in three directions, presenting the opportunity for continued expansion andextensionofthismine,”Alfersexplained.

Table1:ReliefCanyonPFSvs.PEAHighlights PFS PEA

Lifeofmine(“LOM”) 5.6years 5.8years

AverageLOMproduction 93,900ozAu/year

88,500ozAu/year

CashCost $770/ozAu $772/ozAuAISC $802/ozAu $804/ozAuInitialCAPEX $23.6million $12.2millionSustainingCAPEX $22.8million $16.6millionWorkingCapital $11.0million $14.9millionPre-taxNPV,5% $145million $159millionPre-taxIRR 89% 125%Pre-taxNetCashFlow $192.7million $206millionAfter-taxNPV,5% $126million $121millionAfter-taxIRR 85% 109%After-taxNetCashFlow $167.7million $157.6million

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*ThePEAevaluatedtheeconomicsoftwoalternativeminingscenarios:self-miningbytheCompanywithitsownmanpower and equipment, andmining throughmine contractorswho supply themanpower and equipment todelivermaterial to the Company’s processing facilities. The results shown are based on the contractorminingestimates."TheCompanywillbereviewingvariousoptionstocoverfuturecapitalneeds,includingdebt,royaltyorstreamfinancing,goldoff-takeagreements, investment fromstrategic investors,orcombinationsofthoseapproaches,"saidAlfers.“PershingGold thanksMDA, its staff,and itsassociatedengineeringandmetallurgicalgroupsassistinginthedevelopmentofthisPFS.Thequalityoftheworkandeffortputintothisstudyisapparentintheexcellentreporttheyhaveproduced,”statedAlfers.OperatingCostandCAPEXThefavorableeconomicsofReliefCanyonarereinforcedthroughoutthePFS.ThePFSindicatestheviabilityofcontract-miningand conveyorstackingtobringtheprojectintoproduction.UnderthePFS,525,790ozAuareexpectedtobeproducedwithaveragelifeofmine(“LOM”)production of 93,900 oz Au/year over the 5.6 year LOM. The PFS highlights the low costnature of this projectwith an average cash cost of $770/oz Au and All in Sustaining Cost(“AISC”) of $802/oz Au. The modest capital expense (“CAPEX”) nature of this project isreaffirmedwiththePFSInitialCAPEXof$23.6million.ThefullPFSwillbepostedwithinthenext 45 days on the Company’s website at www.pershinggold.com/relief-canyon/technical-reports.

Table2:PFSGoldPriceSensitivityAnalysis,BeforeTaxGoldPrice/ozAu

PFSPlanNPV,5% PFSIRR

$1,450 $226million 140%$1,400 $206million 127%$1,350 $185million 114%$1,300 $165million 102%$1,250 $145million 89%$1,200 $124million 77%$1,150 $104million 65%$1,100 $84million 53%

MineralReserveandResourceEstimateThePFSalsoallowsforthecategorizationofapproximately80%ofthegoldouncesand73%of the tonswithin theNI43-101measuredand indicated resourceatReliefCanyonasproven and probable reserves (Table 3). This conversion percentage from resource toreserve highlights the quality and quantity of work in 2016 to upgrade the Relief Canyondeposit. Todatemorethan1,100holesandapproximately500,000feetofdrillinghavebeencompletedatReliefCanyon. This includes430coreholesandnearly290,000 feetofdrillingcompletedbyPershingGold.

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Table3:2017ReliefCanyonOxideReserve Classification Cutoff Tons GoldGrade TotalGold

(optAu) 000's (opt) (gpt) (Ounces)Proven 0.005 13,095,400 0.024 0.822 308,500Probable 0.005 17,434,300 0.019 0.651 326,500

Proven&Probable 30,529,700 0.021 0.719 634,900

ThisPFShascalculatedProvenandProbablereservesforthedepositbasedontheestimatedresources that have an effective date of November 1, 2016. A designed PFS three-phase pitcontainstheMeasuredandIndicatedmaterialshowninTable3,whichconstitutethereservesforthepropertyusingagoldpriceof$1,250perounce,acutoffgradeof0.005ouncesperton(“opt”)Au,and thedetailedmineeconomicsoutlined in thePFS. Inaddition,a silver reservegradecanbereportedforaportionofthedepositshowninTable4below.Table4:2017ReliefCanyonReservewithSilverGrade

Classification Tons SilverGrade TotalSilver 000's (opt) (gpt) (Ounces)

Proven 4,123,900 0.095 3.253 391,300Probable 10,268,600 0.121 4.144 1,241,300

Proven&Probable 14,392,500 0.113 3.87 1,632,600

The Mineral Reserves have an effective date of May 26, 2017. The Proven and Probablereserves are contained in the designed PFS final pit and include only oxide materials. TheMeasuredandIndicatedoxideresourcesareinclusiveoftheestimatedPFSreserves.Table5:2016ReliefCanyonGoldResource

Classification Cutoff Tons GoldGrade TotalGold(optAu) (opt) (gpt) (Ounces)

Measured-Oxide 0.005 14,232,000 0.022 0.753 312,000Measured-Mixed 0.010 259,000 0.058 1.990 15,000Measured-Total variable 14,491,000 0.023 0.788 327,000

Indicated-Oxide 0.005 26,854,000 0.016 0.548 439,000Indicated-Mixed 0.010 162,000 0.033 1.130 5,000Indicated-Sulfide 0.020 369,000 0.050 1.712 18,000

Indicated-Total variable 27,385,000 0.017 0.582 462,000

Meas.+IndTotal variable 41,876,000 0.019 0.651 789,000

Inferred-Oxide 0.005 5,238,000 0.009 0.308 45,000Inferred-Mixed 0.010 4,000 0.018 0.616 100Inferred-Sulfide 0.020 4,000 0.028 0.959 100

Inferred-Total variable 5,246,000 0.009 0.308 45,200

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*Mineralresourcesthatarenotmineralreservesdonothavedemonstratedeconomicviability.Themineral resources at Relief Canyonweremodeled and estimated by evaluating the drilldatastatistically,utilizingthegeologic interpretationsprovidedbyPershingGoldto interpretmineraldomainsoncross sections spacedat50-foot intervals, rectifying themineral-domaininterpretations on long sections spaced at 10-foot intervals, analyzing the modeledmineralizationgeostatisticallytoestablishestimationparameters,andestimatinggradesintoathree-dimensionalblockmodel.TheReliefCanyongoldmineralresourceislistedinTable5usingacutoffgradeof0.005optAufor oxidematerial, 0.01optAu formixedmaterial, and0.02optAu for sulfidematerial. Theoxideandmixedcutoffswerechosentocapturemineralizationpotentiallyavailabletoopen-pitextractionandheap-leachprocessing,with thehighercutoff formixedmaterialreflectingtheexpectedreductioninrecoveredgold.Thesulfidecut-offwaschosentoreflectthepotentiallyhigher costs associated with sulfide processing. The effective date of the mineral resourcesestimateisNovember1,2016,andtheseMeasuredandIndicatedresourcesareinclusiveoftheestimatedPFSreserves.Table6:2016ReliefCanyonSilverResource

Classification Tons SilverGrade TotalSilver(opt) (gpt) (Ounces)

Measured-Oxide 10,550,000 0.119 4.075 1,260,000Measured-Mixed 259,000 0.251 8.600 65,000

Measured-Total 10,809,000 0.123 4.212 1,325,000

Indicated-Oxide 6,236,000 0.094 3.219 584,000Indicated-Mixed 162,000 0.206 7.055 33,000Indicated-Sulfide 369,000 0.313 10.720 115,000

Indicated-Total 6,767,000 0.108 3.700 732,000

Meas.+IndTotal 17,576,000 0.117 4.007 2,057,000

Inferred-Oxide 781,000 0.066 2.260 52,000Inferred-Mixed 4,000 0.125 4.281 1,000Inferred-Sulfide 4,000 0.164 5.616 1,000

Inferred-Total 789,000 0.068 2.323 54,000MetallurgicalTestingAdditionalmetallurgicaltestingincorporatedintothePFSresultedinaveragegold recoveryrates of approximately 83% oncrushedandagglomeratedmaterial, an improvement fromthe recovery rate of 80% identified in the PEA. The Relief Canyon ore deposit contains anoxidizedandpartiallyoxidizedgoldmineralresourcesandreservesthatmetallurgical testingand historicalmining experience indicate are amenable to cyanide heap-leach processing. In2015and2016,PershingGoldconductedmetallurgicaltestworkondrillcoreandbulksamplesto confirm heap-leach processing on additional resources and reserves that have been

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identifiedwithin the existingpit. Themetallurgical testworkwasbasedon identifying threedistinctzonesoncross-sectionidentifiedastheMain,Lower,andJasperoidzones.Results from column leach testing demonstrate that the major Relief Canyon ore types(limestonebreccia,claymatrixbreccia,and jasperoid)contained in theMainZone,aswellasthe Jasperoid and Lower Zones, generally would be amenable to heap-leach cyanidationtreatment.The column-leach and permeability tests indicate that agglomeration is required in order toachievehydraulicconductivityandacorrespondinggoldrecoveryonaconsistentbasis.Thereis also evidence that blending of low and high fines content material will aid hydraulicconductivity.The planned processing method is heap-leach cyanidation of primary crushed ore (80%passing three inch) that has been agglomerated using eight pounds per ton of cement as abinder.PermittingCurrently,PershingGoldhasallofthestateandfederalpermitsnecessarytostartthePhaseIminingandheap-leachprocessingoperations.PershingGoldisplanningatwo-phasepermittinganddevelopmentscenariofortheproject.PhaseI,whichhasbeenapproved,isthere-purposingofpreviouslyapproveddisturbanceforexpandedminingtoapitbottomelevationof5,080feet,partialbackfillingofthePhaseIpittoapproximately20feetabovethehistoricalgroundwaterelevationtoeliminateapitlake,expandedexplorationoperations,fullbuild-outoftheheapleachpadtoaccommodateleachingofthePhaseIore,andconstructionofanewwasterockstoragefacility.PhaseIIwillincludeadditionalmineexpansionactivitiesandallowminingfurtherbelowthewatertable.PershingGoldwillusethemineplaninthePFSasthebasisforthePhaseIIpermitapplication,andanticipatesitwillsubmitthePhaseIIpermitapplicationsinthesecondhalfof2017. OpportunitiesResource growth opportunities remain available through additional exploration and/ordevelopment drilling. The deposit is open to the west, and offers opportunity for growth.Additionalopportunitiescouldinclude:

• Convertinginferredresourcetonstomeasuredandindicatedresourceorprovenandprobablereserves

• Utilizinghistoriclow-gradestockpile• Expandingand/ordemonstratingcontinuityofthehigh-gradegoldgradeshells• Expandingonthe2016Phase2drillingthatidentifiednewzonesofmineralization

southeastoftheLightbulbPit,withpotentialtoelevatethesezonesofmineralizationtoamineralresourcestatus

• Increasingsilvercredit

Greenfieldsexplorationactivityhastakenplaceoverapproximately20%ofthe40squaremilesof PershingGold’s landpackage. It has already identified growthopportunities including the

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Blackjack Project, which is a potential satellite deposit southeast of the Relief CanyonMine.DrillingiscurrentlyinprogressatBlackjack.AboutPershingGoldCorporationPershingGoldisanemerginggoldproducerwhoseprimaryassetistheReliefCanyonMineinPershingCounty,Nevada.ReliefCanyonincludesthreehistoricopen-pitminesandastate-of-the-art, fully permitted and constructed heap-leach processing facility. Pershing Gold iscurrentlypermittedtoresumeminingatReliefCanyonundertheexistingPlanofOperations.PershingGold'slandholdingscoverapproximately25,000acresthatincludetheReliefCanyonMine asset and lands surrounding the mine in all directions. This land package providesPershingGoldwith theopportunity toexpandtheReliefCanyonMinedepositandtoexploreandmakenewdiscoveriesonnearbylands.PershingGold is listedontheNASDAQGlobalMarketandtheTorontoStockExchangeunderthesymbolPGLCandontheFrankfurtStockExchangeunderthesymbol7PG1.CautionaryNotetoUnitedStatesInvestorsRegardingEstimatesofMeasured,Indicated,andInferredResourcesThis press release uses the terms "Measured," "Indicated" and "Inferred”mineral resources,whicharedefinedinCanadianInstituteofMetallurgyguidelines,theguidelineswidelyfollowedto comply with Canadian National Instrument 43-101-- Standards of Disclosure for MineralProjects (“NI 43-101”).We advise U.S. investors that these terms are not recognized by theUnited States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The estimation ofmeasuredand indicated resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economicfeasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves.Mineral resources are notmineral reserves.Mineral resources thatarenotmineral reservesdonothavedemonstratedeconomic viability. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that measured or indicatedmineral resources will be converted into reserves. Inferred mineral resources have a highdegreeofuncertaintyastotheirexistenceandtheireconomicandlegalfeasibility.Itcannotbeassumedthatalloranypartofaninferredmineralresourceexists,oriseconomicallyorlegallyviable.UnderCanadianrules,estimatesof"inferredmineralresources"maynotformthebasisof feasibility studies, pre-feasibility studies or other economic studies, except in prescribedcases,suchasinapreliminaryeconomicassessmentundercertaincircumstances.Pershing is a reporting issuer in the United States and is required to discussmineralizationestimates in accordancewithUS reporting standards. The estimates of proven and probablemineralreservesusedinthispressreleaseareinreferencetotheminingtermsdefinedintheCanadianInstituteofMining,MetallurgyandPetroleumStandards,whichdefinitionshavebeenadopted by NI 43-101. The definitions of proven and probable reserves used in NI 43-101differfromthedefinitionsintheUnitedStatesSecuritiesandExchangeCommission'sIndustryGuide7.IntheUnitedStates,amineralreserveisdefinedasapartofamineraldeposit,whichcouldbeeconomicallyandlegallyextractedorproducedatthetimethereservedeterminationismade.Accordingly,informationcontainedinthispressreleasecontainingdescriptionsofourmineraldepositsinaccordancewithNI43-101maynotbecomparabletosimilarinformationmadepublicbyotherU.S. companiesunder theUnitedStates federal securities lawsand therulesandregulationsthereunder. Moreover,theSECnormallyonlypermits issuerstoreport

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mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" as in-place tonnage and grade withoutreference to unitmeasures. US investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in ourForm10-K for theyearendedDecember31,2016andotherSEC filings.Youcan reviewandobtaincopiesofthesefilingsfromtheSEC'swebsiteathttp://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.ScientificandTechnicalDataAllscientificandtechnicalinformationrelatedtodrillandsurfacesamples,resourceestimate,mineralprocessing,metallurgyandrecoverymethods,andminingfortheReliefCanyonprojecthasbeenreviewedandapprovedbyeitherPaulTietz,CertifiedProfessionalGeologist#11720,NeilPrenn,P.E.#7844,CarlDefilippi,registeredmemberSME#775870RM,orMarkJorgensen,MMSA#01202QPwhoareeachQualifiedPersonsunderthedefinitionsestablishedbyCanadianNationalInstrument43-101.DrillcoreatReliefCanyonisboxedandsealedatthedrillrigandmovedtotheReliefCanyonloggingandsamplepreparationfacilitiesbytrainedpersonnel.Thecoreisloggedandsplitdownthecenterusingatypicaltable-fedcircularrocksaw.Onehalfofthecoreissentforassaywhiletheotherhalf isreturnedtothecoreboxandstoredatReliefCanyoninasecure,fenced-off,area.PershingGoldqualityassurance/qualitycontrol(QA/QC)proceduresincludetheregularuseofblanks,standards,andduplicatesamples.Non-GAAPMeasuresCashcostsisanon-GAAPfinancialmeasurecalculatedbytheCompanyassetforthbelow,andmaynotbecomparabletosimilarmeasuresreportedbyothercompanies.Cashcostsincludealldirect and indirect costs that would generate gold ounces for sale to customers, includingmining ofmineralizedmaterials andwaste, leaching, processing, refining and transportationcosts,on-siteadministrativecostsandroyalties,netofby-productcreditsforsilverouncessold.Cash costs do not include depreciation, depletion, amortization, exploration expenditures,reclamation and remediation costs, sustaining capital, financing costs, income taxes, orcorporate general and administrative costs not directly or indirectly related to the ReliefCanyonproject.Cashcostsaredividedbythenumberofgoldouncesproducedfortheperiodtoarriveatcashcostspergoldounceproduced.Costofsalesisthemostcomparablefinancialmeasure,calculatedinaccordancewithGAAP,tocash costs. As compared to cash costs, cost of sales includes adjustments for changes ininventoryandexcludesnetrevenuefromby-product,refiningandtransportationcosts,whicharereportedaspartofrevenueinaccordancewithGAAP.AISCisanon-GAAPfinancialmeasurecalculatedbytheCompanyassetforthbelow,andmaynotbecomparabletosimilarmeasuresreportedbyothercompanies.AISCincludescashcosts,as defined above, plus exploration costs at the Relief Canyon project and sustaining capitalexpenditures(includingadditionalleachpads,permittingandcustomaryimprovementstotheoperations over the life of the project). AISC are divided by the number of gold ouncesproducedfortheperiodtoarriveatall-insustainingcostspergoldounceproduced.LegalNoticeandSafeHarborStatementThispressreleasecontains"forward-lookingstatements"withinthemeaningofthesafeharborprovisionsoftheU.S.PrivateSecuritiesLitigationReformActof1995.Allstatements,otherthanstatementsofhistoricalfact,includingthetimingofthereleaseofthefullPFSandthosestatementswithrespecttotheexpectedprojecteconomicsforReliefCanyon,suchasestimates

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oflifeofmine,averageproduction,cashcosts,AISC,initialCAPEX,sustainingCAPEX,workingcapital,pre-taxIRR,pre-taxNPV,netcashflowsandrecoveryrates,theviabilityofcontractminingandconveyorstacking,goldpricesensitivityanalysis,thetimingtoobtainnecessarypermits,thesubmissionoftheprojectforfinalinvestmentapprovalandthetimingofinitialgoldproductionafterinvestmentapprovalandfullfinancing,metallurgyandprocessingexpectations,thegoldandsilvermineralreserve(includingprovenandprobablereserves)andresourceestimates,assumptionsregardingavailableprocessingmethods,plansregardingadditionalpermittingandphaseddevelopmentofthemine,expectationsregardingtheabilitytoexpandthemineralresourcethroughfutureexplorationordrillingandtheanticipatedresultsoffurtherdrilling,anddevelopmentpotentialofsatelliteareas,are"forward-lookingstatements."AlthoughtheCompany'smanagementbelievesthatsuchforward-lookingstatementsarereasonable,itcannotguaranteethatsuchexpectationsare,orwillbe,correct.Theseforward-lookingstatementsinvolveanumberofrisksanduncertainties,whichcouldcausetheCompany'sfutureresultstodiffermateriallyfromthoseanticipated.Potentialrisksanduncertaintiesinclude,amongothers,interpretationsorreinterpretationsofgeologicinformation,unfavorableexplorationresults,inabilitytoobtainpermitsrequiredforfutureexploration,developmentorproduction,generaleconomicconditionsandconditionsaffectingtheindustriesinwhichtheCompanyoperates;theuncertaintyofregulatoryrequirementsandapprovals;fluctuatingmineralandcommodityprices,finalinvestmentapprovalandtheabilitytoobtainnecessaryfinancingonacceptabletermsoratall.Additionalinformationregardingthefactorsthatmaycauseactualresultstodiffermateriallyfromtheseforward-lookingstatementsisavailableintheCompany'sfilingswiththeSecuritiesandExchangeCommission,includingtheAnnualReportonForm10-KfortheyearendedDecember31,2016.TheCompanyassumesnoobligationtoupdateanyoftheinformationcontainedorreferencedinthispressrelease.ContactInformationFormoreinformation,pleasecontact:StephenAlfers,ExecutiveChairman,PresidentandCEOJackPerkins,VicePresident,InvestorRelations720.974.7254investors@pershinggold.comwww.PershingGold.com