EXHIBIT 31.1

CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
(PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002)

I,  R.  David  Russell,  certify  that:

     1.   I  have  reviewed  this  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q of Apollo Gold
          Corporation.

     2.   Based  on  my  knowledge,  this  report  does  not  contain any untrue
          statement  of  a  material  fact  or  omit  to  state  a material fact
          necessary  to  make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
          under  which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to
          the  period  covered  by  this  report;

     3.   Based  on  my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
          information  included  in  this report, fairly present in all material
          respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows
          of  the  registrant  as  of,  and  for,  the periods presented in this
          report;

     4.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for
          establishing  and  maintaining  disclosure controls and procedures (as
          defined  in  Exchange  Act  Rules  13a  -  15(e) - 15d -15(e)) for the
          registrant  and  have:

               (a)  Designed  such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
                    such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under
                    our  supervision,  to  ensure   that   material  information
                    relating  to  the  registrant,  including  its  consolidated
                    subsidiaries,  is  made  known  to us by others within those
                    entities,  particularly  during  the  period  in  which this
                    report  is  being  prepared;

               (b)  Evaluated  the  effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                    controls  and  procedures  and  presented in this report our
                    conclusions  about  the  effectiveness  of   the  disclosure
                    controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered
                    by  this  report  based  on  such  evaluation;  and

               (c)  Disclosed  in  this  report  any  change in the registrant's
                    internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that occurred
                    during  the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter that has
                    materially  affected,  or is reasonably likely to materially
                    affect,  the  registrant's  internal  control over financial
                    reporting;  and

     5.   The  registrant's  other  certifying  officer(s) and I have disclosed,
          based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial
          reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the
          registrant's  board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
          functions):

               (a)  All  significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
                    design  or  operation  of  internal  control  over financial
                    reporting  which  are  reasonable likely to adversely affect
                    the  registrant's  ability to record, process, summarize and
                    report  financial  information;  and

               (b)  Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
                    or  other  employees  who  have  a  significant  role in the
                    registrant's  internal  control  over  financial  reporting.



                    /s/ R. David Russell
                    -----------------------------------------
                    R. DAVID RUSSELL, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

                    November 14, 2003


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