VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - March 9, 2010) - Pan American Silver Corp. (TSX:PAA)(NASDAQ:PAAS) ("Pan American" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Mr. Ross Beaty, the Company's founder and Chairman, was presented with the prestigious Viola MacMillan Award at last night's Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada ("PDAC") gala awards dinner, in Toronto. 

The Viola MacMillan Award, named in honour of the PDAC's longest serving President, recognizes members of the Canadian mining community that have demonstrated leadership in the management and financing of the exploration for, and development of mineral resources throughout the world.

Mr. Beaty, a geologist, entrepreneur and philanthropist, founded Pan American in 1994 and serves as our Chairman of the Board. Pan American, the second-largest publically traded primary silver producer in the world, produced 23 million ounces of silver in 2009, recording its 14th consecutive year of production growth. The Company controls approximately 234 million ounces of silver in proven and probable reserves plus a further 711 million ounces of measured and indicated silver resources, having recently completed the acquisition of the Navidad silver project in Argentina. In 2010, Pan American is forecasting production of 23.4 million ounces of silver, while it aggressively moves forward with the exploration and advancement of the Navidad project, one of the largest undeveloped primary silver deposits in the world. 

More recently, Mr. Beaty founded Magma Energy Corp., to focus on international geothermal energy development.

Commenting on Mr. Beaty's award, Geoff Burns, President and CEO said, "Ross has clearly been a driving force behind the tremendous growth we've achieved here at Pan American. He also guided the extremely successful formation and sale of the Lumina Group of copper companies and now has started Magma Energy Corp. His vision and commitment to the advancement of our industry are inspirational and I can think of no one more deserving of the Viola MacMillan award. On behalf of all of us here at Pan American, I would like to congratulate Ross on this tremendous achievement."

About Pan American Silver

Pan American Silver's mission is to be the world's largest and lowest cost primary silver mining company by increasing its low-cost silver production and silver reserves. The Company has eight mining operations in Mexico, Peru, Argentina and Bolivia. Pan American also owns the Navidad project in Chubut, Argentina and is the operator of the La Preciosa joint venture project in Mexico.

Technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed by Michael Steinmann, P.Geo., Executive VP Geology & Exploration, and Martin Wafforn, P.Eng., VP Technical Services, who are the Company's Qualified Persons for the purposes of NI 43-101.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

CERTAIN OF THE STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION IN THIS NEWS RELEASE CONSTITUTE "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE UNITED STATES PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 AND "FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION" WITHIN THE MEANING OF APPLICABLE CANADIAN PROVINCIAL SECURITIES LAWS RELATING TO THE COMPANY AND ITS OPERATIONS. ALL STATEMENTS, OTHER THAN STATEMENTS OF HISTORICAL FACT, ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. WHEN USED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE THE WORDS, "BELIEVES", "EXPECTS", "INTENDS", "PLANS", "FORECAST", "OBJECTIVE", "OUTLOOK", "POSITIONING", "POTENTIAL", "ANTICIPATED", "BUDGET", AND OTHER SIMILAR WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS, IDENTIFY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION RELATE TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS: FUTURE PRODUCTION OF SILVER, GOLD AND OTHER METALS; THE EFFECTS OF LAWS, REGULATIONS AND GOVERNMENT POLICIES AFFECTING PAN AMERICAN'S OPERATIONS OR POTENTIAL FUTURE OPERATIONS, INLCUDING BY NOT LIMITED TO, LAWS IN THE PROVINCE OF CHUBUT, ARGENTINA, WHICH, CURRENTLY HAVE SIGNIFICANT RESTRICTIONS ON MINING; FUTURE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF THE NAVIDAD PROJECT, THE LA PRECIOSA PROJECT, AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS OF THE COMPANY; THE ACCURACY OF MINERAL RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES; AND THE COMPANY'S PLANS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR ITS PROPERTIES AND OPERATIONS.

THESE STATEMENTS REFLECT THE COMPANY'S CURRENT VIEWS WITH RESPECT TO FUTURE EVENTS AND ARE NECESSARILY BASED UPON A NUMBER OF ASSUMPTIONS AND ESTIMATES THAT, WHILE CONSIDERED REASONABLE BY THE COMPANY, ARE INHERENTLY SUBJECT TO SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS, ECONOMIC, COMPETITIVE, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL UNCERTAINTIES AND CONTINGENCIES. MANY FACTORS, BOTH KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS THAT ARE OR MAY BE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE AND THE COMPANY HAS MADE ASSUMPTIONS AND ESTIMATES BASED ON OR RELATED TO MANY OF THESE FACTORS. SUCH FACTORS INCLUDE, WITHOUT LIMITATION: FLUCTUATIONS IN SPOT AND FORWARD MARKETS FOR SILVER, GOLD, BASE METALS AND CERTAIN OTHER COMMODITIES (SUCH AS NATURAL GAS, FUEL OIL AND ELECTRICITY); FLUCTUATIONS IN CURRENCY MARKETS (SUCH AS THE PERUVIAN SOL, MEXICAN PESO, ARGENTINE PESO AND BOLIVIAN BOLIVIANO VERSUS THE U.S. DOLLAR); RISKS RELATED TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND OPERATIONAL NATURE OF THE COMPANY'S BUSINESS; CHANGES IN NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LEGISLATION, TAXATION, CONTROLS OR REGULATIONS AND POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN CANADA, THE UNITED STATES, MEXICO, PERU, ARGENTINA, BOLIVIA OR OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THE COMPANY MAY CARRY ON BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE; RISKS AND HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS OF MINERAL EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT AND MINING (INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS, INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, UNUSUAL OR UNEXPECTED GEOLOGICAL OR STRUCTURAL FORMATIONS, PRESSURES, CAVE-INS AND FLOODING); RISKS RELATING TO THE CREDIT WORTHINESS OR FINANCIAL CONDITION OF SUPPLIERS, REFINERS AND OTHER PARTIES WITH WHOM THE COMPANY DOES BUSINESS; INADEQUATE INSURANCE, OR INABILITY TO OBTAIN INSURANCE, TO COVER THESE RISKS AND HAZARDS; EMPLOYEE RELATIONS; RELATIONSHIPS WITH AND CLAIMS BY LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS; AVAILABILITY AND INCREASING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MINING INPUTS AND LABOUR; THE SPECULATIVE NATURE OF MINERAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE RISKS OF OBTAINING NECESSARY LICENSES AND PERMITS AND THE PRESENCE OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT MAY IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON MINING, INCLUDING THOSE CURRENTLY IN THE PROVINCE OF CHUBUT, ARGENTINA; DIMINISHING QUANTITIES OR GRADES OF MINERAL RESERVES AS PROPERTIES ARE MINED; GLOBAL FINANCIAL CONDITIONS; THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO COMPLETE AND SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE ACQUISITIONS AND TO MITIGATE OTHER BUSINESS COMBINATION RISKS; CHALLENGES TO, OR DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING, THE COMPANY'S TITLE TO PROPERTIES AND CONTINUED OWNERSHIP THEREOF; THE ACTUAL RESULTS OF CURRENT EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES, CONCLUSIONS OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS, AND CHANGES IN PROJECT PARAMETERS TO DEAL WITH UNANTICIPATED ECONOMIC OR OTHER FACTORS; INCREASED COMPETITION IN THE MINING INDUSTRY FOR PROPERTIES, EQUIPMENT, QUALIFIED PERSONNEL, AND THEIR COSTS; AND THOSE FACTORS IDENTIFIED UNDER THE CAPTION "RISKS RELATED TO PAN AMERICAN'S BUSINESS" IN THE COMPANY'S MOST RECENT FORM 40-F AND ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM FILED WITH THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION AND CANADIAN PROVINCIAL SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES. INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED AGAINST ATTRIBUTING UNDUE CERTAINTY OR RELIANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. ALTHOUGH THE COMPANY HAS ATTEMPTED TO IDENTIFY IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY, THERE MAY BE OTHER FACTORS THAT CAUSE RESULTS NOT TO BE AS ANTICIPATED, ESTIMATED, DESCRIBED OR INTENDED. THE COMPANY DOES NOT INTEND, AND DOES NOT ASSUME ANY OBLIGATION, TO UPDATE THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION TO REFLECT CHANGES IN ASSUMPTIONS OR CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCES OR ANY OTHER EVENTS AFFECTING SUCH STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION, OTHER THAN AS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO US INVESTORS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MEASURED AND INDICATED RESOURCES

THIS NEWS RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CANADIAN PROVINCIAL SECURITIES LAWS, WHICH DIFFER FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS. UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, ALL MINERAL RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES INCLUDED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE HAVE BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CANADIAN NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 43-101 – STANDARDS OF DISCLOSURE FOR MINERAL PROJECTS (''NI 43-101'') AND THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGY AND PETROLEUM CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. NI 43-101 IS A RULE DEVELOPED BY THE CANADIAN SECURITIES ADMINISTRATORS THAT ESTABLISHES STANDARDS FOR ALL PUBLIC DISCLOSURE AN ISSUER MAKES OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONCERNING MINERAL PROJECTS.
CANADIAN STANDARDS, INCLUDING NI 43-101, DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE "SEC"), AND INFORMATION CONCERNING MINERALIZATION, DEPOSITS, MINERAL RESERVE AND RESOURCE INFORMATION CONTAINED OR REFERRED TO HEREIN MAY NOT BE COMPARABLE TO SIMILAR INFORMATION DISCLOSED BY U.S. COMPANIES. IN PARTICULAR, AND WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, THIS PRESS RELEASE USES THE TERMS ''MEASURED RESOURCES'', ''INDICATED RESOURCES'' AND ''INFERRED RESOURCES''. U.S. INVESTORS ARE ADVISED THAT, WHILE SUCH TERMS ARE RECOGNIZED AND REQUIRED BY CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS, THE SEC DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THEM. UNDER U.S. STANDARDS, MINERALIZATION MAY NOT BE CLASSIFIED AS A ''RESERVE'' UNLESS THE DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE THAT THE MINERALIZATION COULD BE ECONOMICALLY AND LEGALLY PRODUCED OR EXTRACTED AT THE TIME THE RESERVE DETERMINATION IS MADE. U.S. INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO ASSUME THAT ANY PART OF A "MEASURED RESOURCE" OR "INDICATED RESOURCE" WILL EVER BE CONVERTED INTO A "RESERVE". U.S. INVESTORS SHOULD ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT "INFERRED RESOURCES" HAVE A GREAT AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY AS TO THEIR EXISTENCE AND GREAT UNCERTAINTY AS TO THEIR ECONOMIC AND LEGAL FEASIBILITY. IT CANNOT BE ASSUMED THAT ALL OR ANY PART OF "INFERRED RESOURCES" EXIST, ARE ECONOMICALLY OR LEGALLY MINEABLE OR WILL EVER BE UPGRADED TO A HIGHER CATEGORY. UNDER CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS, ESTIMATED "INFERRED RESOURCES" MAY NOT FORM THE BASIS OF FEASIBILITY OR PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDIES EXCEPT IN RARE CASES. DISCLOSURE OF "CONTAINED OUNCES" IN A MINERAL RESOURCE IS PERMITTED DISCLOSURE UNDER CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS. HOWEVER, THE SEC NORMALLY ONLY PERMITS ISSUERS TO REPORT MINERALIZATION THAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE "RESERVES" BY SEC STANDARDS AS IN PLACE TONNAGE AND GRADE, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO UNIT MEASURES. THE REQUIREMENTS OF NI 43-101 FOR IDENTIFICATION OF "RESERVES" ARE ALSO NOT THE SAME AS THOSE OF THE SEC, AND RESERVES REPORTED BY THE COMPANY IN COMPLIANCE WITH NI 43-101 MAY NOT QUALIFY AS "RESERVES" UNDER SEC STANDARDS. ACCORDINGLY, INFORMATION CONCERNING MINERAL DEPOSITS SET FORTH HEREIN MAY NOT BE COMPARABLE WITH INFORMATION MADE PUBLIC BY COMPANIES THAT REPORT IN ACCORDANCE WITH U.S. STANDARDS.