Prodigy Gold Inc KXLAF

Happy New Year PDG

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Thursday, January 2, 2003 Vancouver, Canada - Placer Dome Inc. announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Placer Dome Asia Pacific Limited (PDAP), has completed the compulsory acquisition process and as of December 31, 2002, now owns 100% of AurionGold Limited. PDAP's bid for the Australian gold producer was launched on May 26, 2002, and by mid-October Placer Dome had gained a controlling interest. The AurionGold acquisition increases Placer Dome's interest in the Granny Smith mine in Australia from 60% to 100%, and increases the company's interest in the Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea from 50% to 75%. It also adds three new mines in the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia and a fourth in Tasmania. Asia Pacific is now Placer Dome's largest region and is expected to contribute 1.8 million ounces, or about half of the company's total production, in 2003. Placer Dome is the world's fifth largest gold mining company, with interests in 18 mines in six countries employing 12,000 people. Placer Dome shares trade on the Toronto, New York, Australia, Swiss and Euronext-Paris exchanges under the symbol PDG. -end-