Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. (“Sabina”) or (the “Company”) (SBB –
TSX/ SGSVF - OTCQX) provides an update on advancements of the Goose
Mine development at the Company’s 100% owned Back River Gold
District in Nunavut, Canada. The Goose Mine is the Company’s first
mine on the 80 km long Back River Gold District, a
multi-generational mining district with a demonstrated high-grade
world class gold endowment.
“Completion of the 2022 summer sealift enables
us to maintain our planned schedule for full construction to
commence in 2023,” said Bruce McLeod, President & CEO. “With
the sealift complete, we are now preparing for 2023, which includes
the construction of our Winter Ice Road to transport equipment and
supplies to the Goose site early in the spring of next year. Civil
works are complete at the plant lay down area and we are ready for
foundation preparation in advance of concrete and steel erection
next summer. Pre-stripping continues at the Echo pit with the first
ore encountered. We are excited to advance full construction of our
initial mine on the Back River Gold District.”
Procurement & Sealift
A major component of the Company’s de-risking
strategy for the Project focused on early procurement which has
mitigated against cost escalation pressures and supply chain
backlogs. By July 2022, the Company had made commitments for
approximately 75% of the total Project procurement: the focus being
on priority construction items for delivery on this year’s sealift.
These items include equipment and supplies for site concrete work
and the erection of plant and ancillary building shells and
building envelopes. The 2022 sealift program included vessels from
both the East and the West shipping hubs at Becancour and Hay River
respectively.
For the 2022 sealift, Sabina shipped and
received approximately 12,500 million tonnes (“MT”) of dry goods
via 2 cargo vessels and 8 ocean barges, mainly comprised of:
- the balance of the phase 1
permanent accommodation / kitchen dining / administration complex
(280 person);
- Construction offices and
equipment;
- Bulk construction materials
(cement, rebar and all building envelope structural steel);
- Select discipline construction
materials (piping, electrical cable and tray, tanks, chutes,
conveyors, etc);
- Building OH cranes, Emulsion plant,
main generators;
- Ancillary buildings, additional
fuel storage capacity, mining fleet spares; and
- Additional WIR equipment and mining
equipment.
In addition, Sabina successfully completed the
delivery and offloading of 9.2 million liters of bulk diesel fuel
into our storage tank at the Port Facility.
As previously reported, Sabina has also procured
its permanent 500 bed accommodation facility with the first phase
of 280 beds delivered to the Port Facility already which is greater
than camp personnel requirements for 2023. The remaining 220 beds
required for operations were scheduled to be delivered this year
but with the delayed start of the sealift from the west due in part
to flooding in Hay River this Spring, the balance of the camp was
not delivered. Should overflow be required in 2023, Sabina can
utilize its existing 100 bed exploration camp at Goose.
Approximately 2,301 MT of the 3,400 MT of cargo
marshalled for delivery from the West, was deemed as critical to
schedule. Sabina received approximately 2,283 MT of critical cargo
at the Port Facility in 2022, also due to the delayed sealift
start. The remaining 18 MT of priority cargo needed is comprised of
structural steel and welding consumables for the additional 15M
liter fuel farm tanks to be constructed at the Port Facility and
Goose. These remaining items can be delivered to site via air.
Committed purchase orders have been issued for
all long-lead time packages (with 10 weeks or longer delivery) and
the Project is now ~90% procured, with a target of 95% of all
packages to be committed to by the end of November
2022. Winter Ice Road (“WIR”)
Sabina has executed a construction and
maintenance contract with Nuna Logistics for the 2022/2023 Winter
Ice Road. Nuna is the largest Inuit-owned heavy civil construction,
earthworks and winter ice road contractor in Canada.
Since 1993, Nuna has constructed the majority of Nunavut’s and the
Northwest Territories’ exploration and mine site ice access roads.
Their in-depth knowledge of northern operations enables them to
mobilize, build, and maintain the reliable infrastructure required
for continuous, cost-efficient operations in isolated regions of
Northern Canada.
Preparations for Sabina’s WIR are underway with
double headed construction (from the Port Facility and the Goose
site) of the road to begin in December 2022. Transportation
operations are expected to start in February 2023 with an
anticipated 1500 loads being moved from the MLA to Goose.
Underground Development
Underground development continues to advance
with approximately 1,200 meters complete and the first lateral
access to the Umwelt Zone commencing. Preparations for development
of the first ventilation raise have begun as well as underground
exploration drilling of the Umwelt zone.
2023 Construction
Preparation
Planned construction activities in 2023 will
focus largely on building envelopes/frames and perimeter concrete.
However, with procurement now substantially complete, Sabina
intends to evaluate the detailed construction schedule and identify
possible improvements to the timing for the delivery of specific
work scopes.
2023 is going to be a busy year and Sabina is
already planning construction activities such as:
- continued pre-development stripping
of Echo pit with waste/ore stockpiling;
- road network expansion;
- emulsion plant construction;
- construction of phase 1 primary
pond water management facility;
- complexing of the permanent
accommodation facility;
- completion of construction office
facilities;
- batch plant assembly;
- building concrete works;
- building envelope erection;
- MSE wall construction;
- conveyor gallery placement;
and
- arctic corridor placement.
SABINA GOLD & SILVER
CORP
Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. is an emerging
gold mining company that owns 100% of the district scale, advanced,
high grade Back River Gold District in Nunavut, Canada.
Sabina filed an Updated Feasibility Study (the
“UFS”) on its first mine on the district, the Goose Mine, which
presents a project that will produce ~223,000 ounces of gold a year
(first five years average of 287,000 ounces a year with peak
production of 312,000 ounces in year three) for ~15 years with a
rapid payback of 2.3 years, with a post-tax IRR of ~28% and NPV5%
of C$1.1B at a gold price of $1,600 USD. See “National Instrument
(NI) 43-101 Technical Report – 2021 Updated Feasibility Study for
the Goose Project at the Back River Gold District, Nunavut, Canada”
dated March 3, 2021.
The Project has received all major permits and
authorizations for construction and operations.
The Company has arranged a comprehensive project
financing package comprised of:
- A US$425 million senior secured
debt facility, gold prepay and stream package with Orion Mine
Finance and Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.; and
- US$221 million in equity including
Zhaojin’s participation.
The Company is also very committed to its Inuit
stakeholders, with Inuit employment andopportunities a focus. The
Company has signed a 20-year renewable land use agreement withthe
Kitikmeot Inuit Association and has committed to various
sustainability initiatives under theagreement.
The Company continues to advance exploration and
project optimization, including advancing the planned plant
expansion to 4,000 tpd from Year two to initial startup.
All news releases and further information can be
found on the Company’s website at www.sabinagoldsilver.com or on
SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All technical reports have been
filed on www.sedar.com
For further information please contact:
Nicole Hoeller, Vice-President,
Communications: 1 888 648-4218
nhoeller@sabinagoldsilver.com
Forward Looking InformationThis
news release contains “forward-looking information” within the
meaning of applicable securities laws (the “forward-looking
statements”), including, but not limited to, statements
related to the expected use of proceeds of the Offering and the
projections and assumptions of the results of the UFS. These
forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news
release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the
future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied
by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans,
intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking
statements are based will occur. While we have based these
forward-looking statements on our expectations about future events
as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements
are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are
subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such
factors and assumptions include, among others, the uncertainty of
production, development plans and costs estimates for the Back
River Gold Project; discrepancies between actual and estimated
mineral reserves and mineral resources, between actual and
estimated development and operating costs; the interpretation of
drill, metallurgical testing and other exploration results; the
ability of the Company to retain its key management employees and
skilled and experienced personnel; exploration, development and
mining risks and the inherently dangerous nature of the mining
industry, and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to
obtain insurance to cover these risks and other risks and
uncertainties; property and mineral title risks including defective
title to mineral claims or property; the effects of general
economic conditions, commodity prices, changing foreign exchange
rates and actions by government and regulatory authorities; and
misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking statements.
In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could
cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ
materially from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Known risk
factors include risks associated with exploration and project
development; the need for additional financing; the calculation of
mineral resources and reserves; operational risks associated with
mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in metal prices; title
matters; government regulation; obtaining and renewing necessary
licenses and permits; environmental liability and insurance;
reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest
among certain of our officers or directors; the absence of
dividends; currency fluctuations; labour disputes; competition;
dilution; the volatility of the our common share price and volume;
future sales of shares by existing shareholders; and other risks
and uncertainties, including those relating to the Back River
Project and general risks associated with the mineral exploration
and development industry described in our Annual Information Form,
financial statements and MD&A for the fiscal period ended
December 31, 2021 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators
and available at www.sedar.com. Although we have attempted to
identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events
or results to differ materially from those described in
forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause
actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or
intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements
will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events
could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update or
alter any forward-looking statements except as required under
applicable securities laws.
Bruce McLeod, President & CEO1800-555 Burrard
Street, Two Bentall CentreVancouver, BC V7X 1M9Tel 604
998-4175 Fax 604
998-1051http://www.sabinagoldsilver.com
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