20170719 nr q217 production results final...• p5m volumetric upgrades to increase plant throughput...

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1 PRESS RELEASE ASANKO GOLD ANNOUNCES Q2 2017 PRODUCTION RESULTS Q2 2017 Highlights: Quarterly gold production of 46,017 ounces and gold sales of 48,461 ounces, 2017 production guidance of 230,000 – 240,000 ounces maintained US$60 million in gold revenue at an average realized price of US$1,238 per ounce Grade control drilling confirms accuracy of updated Nkran MRE to within 2% during the last three months P5M volumetric upgrades to increase plant throughput to 5Mtpa completed ahead of schedule and within budget Industry-leading safety record maintained with a rolling 12 month LTIFR of 0.20 Strong balance sheet with unaudited cash and immediately convertible working capital balances of approximately US$59.2 million (June 30, 2017) Vancouver, British Columbia, July 19, 2017 – Asanko Gold Inc. (“Asanko” or the “Company”) (TSX, NYSE MKT: AKG) announces production results for the second quarter of 2017 (“Q2”) from the Asanko Gold Mine (“AGM”), located in Ghana, West Africa. Q2 operating and financial results will be published on August 3, 2017, conference call and webcast details below. Commenting on the quarter’s performance, Peter Breese, President and CEO, said “As previously guided, we anticipated gold production this quarter would be lower for three reasons: we mined a low grade zone in the Nkran pit, we ramped up mining activities at the newly established Akwasiso pit and we had temporary shutdowns in the processing plant to accommodate the installation of the volumetric upgrades from 3.6Mtpa to 5Mtpa, which have now been completed ahead of schedule. Looking ahead, we expect the second half of the year to be stronger as we see the benefits of the plant operating at the annualized rate of 5Mtpa, the grade at Nkran improving, as we mine through the low grade zone, and the Akwasiso pit delivering planned grades and tonnages. We therefore maintain our 2017 production guidance.” Mining As anticipated, mining operations continued to work through a low grade section of the orebody in the centre of the Nkran pit with grades averaging 1.5 g/t. In addition, pre-stripping and mining operations commenced at Akwasiso. Ore mining rates for the AGM during the quarter averaged 350,000 tonnes per month (“tpm”) at an average mining grade of 1.5 g/t and a slight increase in the strip ratio to 6.2:1, as a result of the waste mining in the western wall push back and the development of the Akwasiso pit. The western wall pushback sequence of cut 2 commenced during Q2 and incorporated the geotechnical design changes implemented as part of the recommendations by SRK which included an additional 1.1 million tonnes of waste material in the slump area on the western wall. The focus for the quarter was to progress down to the west wall design elevation, which was in mostly oxide and transition waste material. Once the design elevation was reached, the cut back mining operations were relocated to commence on the south east sequence of cut 2, which will continue in this area throughout the remainder of 2017.

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Page 1: 20170719 NR Q217 Production Results FINAL...• P5M volumetric upgrades to increase plant throughput to 5Mtpa completed ahead of schedule and within budget • Industry-leading safety

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PRESSRELEASE

ASANKOGOLDANNOUNCESQ22017PRODUCTIONRESULTSQ22017Highlights:

• Quarterly gold production of 46,017 ounces and gold sales of 48,461 ounces, 2017 productionguidanceof230,000–240,000ouncesmaintained

• US$60millioningoldrevenueatanaveragerealizedpriceofUS$1,238perounce

• GradecontroldrillingconfirmsaccuracyofupdatedNkranMREtowithin2%duringthelastthreemonths

• P5Mvolumetricupgradestoincreaseplantthroughputto5Mtpacompletedaheadofscheduleandwithinbudget

• Industry-leadingsafetyrecordmaintainedwitharolling12monthLTIFRof0.20

• StrongbalancesheetwithunauditedcashandimmediatelyconvertibleworkingcapitalbalancesofapproximatelyUS$59.2million(June30,2017)

Vancouver,BritishColumbia,July19,2017–AsankoGoldInc.(“Asanko”orthe“Company”)(TSX,NYSEMKT:AKG)announcesproductionresultsforthesecondquarterof2017(“Q2”)fromtheAsankoGoldMine(“AGM”), locatedinGhana,WestAfrica.Q2operatingandfinancialresultswillbepublishedonAugust3,2017,conferencecallandwebcastdetailsbelow.

Commentingonthequarter’sperformance,PeterBreese,PresidentandCEO,said“Aspreviouslyguided,weanticipatedgoldproductionthisquarterwouldbelowerforthreereasons:weminedalowgradezoneintheNkran pit,we ramped upmining activities at the newly established Akwasiso pit andwe had temporaryshutdownsintheprocessingplanttoaccommodatetheinstallationofthevolumetricupgradesfrom3.6Mtpato5Mtpa,whichhavenowbeencompletedaheadofschedule.

Lookingahead,weexpect the secondhalf of the year tobe strongeraswe see thebenefits of theplantoperatingattheannualizedrateof5Mtpa,thegradeatNkranimproving,asweminethroughthelowgradezone, and the Akwasiso pit delivering planned grades and tonnages. We therefore maintain our 2017productionguidance.”

MiningAsanticipated,miningoperationscontinuedtoworkthroughalowgradesectionoftheorebodyinthecentreoftheNkranpitwithgradesaveraging1.5g/t.Inaddition,pre-strippingandminingoperationscommencedatAkwasiso.OreminingratesfortheAGMduringthequarteraveraged350,000tonnespermonth(“tpm”)atanaveragemininggradeof1.5g/tandaslightincreaseinthestripratioto6.2:1,asaresultofthewastemininginthewesternwallpushbackandthedevelopmentoftheAkwasisopit.Thewesternwall pushback sequenceof cut 2 commencedduringQ2and incorporated the geotechnicaldesignchangesimplementedaspartoftherecommendationsbySRKwhichincludedanadditional1.1milliontonnesofwastematerialintheslumpareaonthewesternwall.Thefocusforthequarterwastoprogressdowntothewestwalldesignelevation,whichwasinmostlyoxideandtransitionwastematerial.Oncethedesignelevationwasreached,thecutbackminingoperationswererelocatedtocommenceonthesoutheastsequenceofcut2,whichwillcontinueinthisareathroughouttheremainderof2017.

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MiningoperationscommencedatAkwasiso,ourlargestsatellitedeposit,duringQ2withsiteestablishmentandwasteremovaltofacilitateoremining.Earlyoreminingfocusedonpreviouslydisturbedsurfacematerialfromhistoricartisanalworkingswhichresultedinlowgradesreportingtothemill.ThisisexpectedtoimproveoncethemainAkwasisodepositisexposedandminingoperationsrampuptoapproximately70,000tpmoforeinQ32017.AGMKeyMiningStatistics Units Q12017 Q22017TotalTonnesMined 000t 6,637 7,506WasteTonnesMined 000t 5,620 6,458OreTonnesMined 000t 1,017 1,048

StripRatio W:O 5.5:1 6.2:1AverageGoldGradeMined g/t 1.8 1.5

ResourceReconciliationMining operations adopted the new CSA Global Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”) and grade controlestimationprocessduringQ12017,whichwerefullyimplementedbytheendofApril2017.ThenewMREandassociatedgradecontrolprocesseshavebeenoperationalsinceMay2017.AreconciliationprocesshascommencedtomeasuretheentirevaluechainfromgoldinthegroundthroughtomillfeedandeventualgoldproductionagainsttheMRE.TheinitialreconciliationbetweentheresourcemodelandthegradecontrolmodelforthemonthsofMay,JuneandJulyhasconfirmedaclosecorrelationof2%betweenthetwomodels,confirmingtheAGMglobalMRE.Work is now underway on the rest of the reconciliation process to validate the design ofminingpolygonsandminingdilutionmanagementthroughtogoldproduction.Theseresultswillbepublishedinthecomingquartersoncesufficientoperationaldatahasbeencollected.ProcessingDuringQ2,theprocessingplant’sthroughputperformancewasmarginallylessthanthepreviousquarterandjustundertheannualizedrateof3.6Mtpa.Aspreviouslyannounced,thelowerthroughputwastheresultofplanned downtimes in the process facility to enable the P5M upgrade tie-ins. Metallurgical recoveriescontinuedtoexceeddesignlevelsat94%.

AGMKeyProductionStatistics

Units Q12017 Q22017

OreTreated 000t 908 887GoldFeedGrade g/t 2.0 1.7GoldRecovery % 95 94GoldProduced oz 58,187 46,017

Project5Million(“P5M”)DuringQ2,theP5Mvolumetricupgradeswerecompletedamonthaheadofscheduleandwithinbudget.Workincludedtheupgradeofthetailingsdamlineandpumpingsystems.WhileplantcommissioningwillcontinuethroughoutQ32017,somesignificantearlyresultshavebeenachieved,withtheupgradedplantrunningonacampaignbasisat625tonnesperhour(equivalentto5Mtpa)forsignificantperiodsoftime.AstheminingoperationsatAkwasisorampupduringQ32017andtheP5Mtie-insarebeddeddown,theplantisexpectedtorunat5Mtpaonaconsistentbasis.

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TherecoveryupgradesareduetobecompletedandcommissionedbeforetheendofQ42017andincludeanextraKnelson gravity gold concentrator, a second Intensive LeachReactor, an increase in theoxygenplant’scapacityto15tonnesperdayandanadditionalelectrowinningcellinthegoldroom.HealthandSafetyTherewerenolosttimeinjuries(“LTI”)reportedduringthequarterandthe12-monthrollinglosttimeinjuryfrequencyrate(“LTIFR”)permillionmanhoursworkedis0.20.SalesandLiquidity

Goldproductionforthequarterwas46,017ounceswithgoldsalesof48,461ouncesatanaveragerealizedpriceofUS$1,238perounce,generatinggoldsalesrevenueofUS$60million.AtJune30,2017theCompany’sbalancesheethadapproximatelyUS$55.0millioninunauditedcash,US$0.4millioningoldreceivablesandUS$3.8millionindore(withamarketvalueofUS$4.6million).TheCompanyhasnosignificantcurrentlongtermdebtobligations,withitsfirstprincipalrepaymentonitsUS$150milliondebtfacilitynotdueuntilJuly1,2018.Q22017OperatingandFinancialResultsConferenceCall&WebcastDetails:

Managementwillhostaconferencecallandwebcastat9amESTonThursday,August3,2017todiscusstheQ22017operatingandfinancialresults,whichwillbepublishedonthesameday.

Detailsbelow.US/CanadaTollFree: 8009059496 UKTollFree: 08004961454International: +12122714615 Webcast:Pleaseclickonthelink:https://cc.callinfo.com/r/17b600pojy7rl&eomReplayArecordedplaybackwillbeavailableapproximatelytwohoursafterthecalluntilSeptember3,2017:US/CanadaTollFree: 800 558 5253 International: +14166264100Passcode: 21855191

Enquiries:Forfurtherinformation,pleasevisit:www.asanko.com,email:[email protected]:

AlexBuck-Manager,InvestorandMediaRelationsToll-Free(N.America):18552467341Telephone:+447932740452Email:[email protected]

RyanWalchuck,VPCorporateDevelopmentandInvestorRelationsTelephone:+17789862000Email:[email protected]

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AboutAsankoGoldInc.Asanko’svisionistobecomeamid-tiergoldminingcompanythatmaximizesvalueforallitsstakeholders.TheCompany’sflagshipprojectisthemulti-millionounceAsankoGoldMinelocatedinGhana,WestAfrica.Asanko ismanagedbyhighlyskilledandsuccessful technical,operationalandfinancialprofessionals.TheCompany is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, socialresponsibility,andhealthandsafetyforitsemployeesandneighbouringcommunities.Forward-LookingandotherCautionaryInformationThis release includes certain statements thatmay be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in thisrelease,other thanstatementsofhistorical facts, thataddressestimated resourcequantities,gradesandcontainedmetals,possiblefuturemining,explorationanddevelopmentactivities,areforward-lookingstatements.AlthoughtheCompanybelievestheforward-lookingstatementsarebasedonreasonableassumptions,suchstatementsshouldnotbeinanywayconstruedasguaranteesoffutureperformanceandactualresultsordevelopmentsmaydiffermateriallyfromthoseintheforward-lookingstatements.Factorsthatcouldcauseactualresultstodiffermateriallyfromthoseinforward-lookingstatementsincludemarketpricesformetals,theconclusionsofdetailedfeasibilityandtechnicalanalyses,thetimelyrenewalofkeypermits,lowerthanexpectedgradesandquantitiesofresources,miningratesandrecoveryratesandthelackofavailabilityofnecessarycapital,whichmaynotbeavailabletotheCompanyontermsacceptabletoitoratall.TheCompanyissubjecttothespecificrisksinherentintheminingbusinessaswellasgeneraleconomicandbusinessconditions.FormoreinformationontheCompany,investorsshouldreviewtheCompany'sAnnualForm40-F filingwith theUnited States Securities Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available atwww.sedar.com.NeitherTorontoStockExchangenortheInvestmentIndustryRegulatoryOrganizationofCanadaacceptsresponsibilityfortheadequacyoraccuracyofthisrelease.CautionaryNotetoUSInvestorsRegardingMineralReportingStandards:Asankohasprepareditsdisclosure inaccordancewiththerequirementsofsecurities lawsineffect inCanada,whichdifferfromtherequirementsofUSsecuritieslaws.TermsrelatingtomineralresourcesinthispressreleasearedefinedinaccordancewithNationalInstrument43-101-StandardsofDisclosureforMineralProjectsundertheguidelinessetout in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Standards on Mineral Resources and MineralReserves.TheSecuritiesandExchangeCommission(the“SEC”)permitsminingcompanies,intheirfilingswiththeSEC,todiscloseonlythosemineraldepositsthatacompanycaneconomicallyandlegallyextractorproduce.Asankousescertainterms,suchas,“measuredmineralresources”,“indicatedmineralresources”,“inferredmineralresources”and“probablemineralreserves”,thattheSECdoesnotrecognize(thesetermsmaybeusedinthispressreleaseandareincluded in the public filings of Asanko which have been filed with securities commissions or similar authorities inCanada).