Aurora to review sales plan

Aurora to review sales plan

CANBERRA (Dow Jones): Australia-based Aurora Gold Ltd. will
review its options for divesting its Toka Tindung gold mine in
North Sulawesi, Indonesia, following a decision by Austindo
Resources Corp. against taking over the operation.

Aurora put the mine on care and maintenance in September 1999
when, in a major period of unrest in Indonesia, Toka Tindung's
satellite Talawaan operation was overrun by thousands of illegal
miners.

Aurora announced May 21 that Austindo signed a preliminary
agreement to buy the mine.

But late Thursday the companies said Austindo has withdrawn
from that agreement.

Andrew Cooke, Austindo's company secretary, said it withdrew
because of the ongoing problems associated with illegal miners on
the site.

"We felt they (illegals) presented a problem that even our
expertise and presence there mightn't be able to deal with on a
realistic basis," he told Dow Jones Newswires.