12 January 2023
VANCOUVER –Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. (“Sabina”) or (the “Company”) (SBB – TSX/ SGSVF - OTCQX) is pleased to announce it has finalized the lump sum contract with a northern constructor to build the process plant and ancillary buildings at its Goose Mine on its 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.
CGT Industrial (“CGT”) is composed of Clark Builders, Gisborne Industrial Construction Ltd. and PTW Energy Services, leaders in their respective fields of construction including concrete, buildings, mechanical and electrical services. Collaborating as a single entity, CGT provides clients with a wide selection of services and the convenience and efficiency of working with a single, expert organization. CGT has extensive experience in mining projects in the Western Arctic dating back as far as 1982.
CGT has provided Sabina with a fixed priced contract of CAD $139 Million for materials and labour to construct the process plant including: crushing circuit, grinding circuit, CIL circuit, pre-leach and tails thickener with tails pumping, gold room, E-houses, control room, O2 plant, fresh water, truck shop, and fire water systems. Additional scope has been added to the original bid proposal which includes the power plant and the Port fuel farm. The contract includes an agreed rise and fall mechanism and other mechanisms to adjust for changes in bid quantities due to design growth and scope changes. These components make up approximately 85% of the direct works on site.
“We are happy to finalize the terms of our agreement with CGT,” said Bruce McLeod, President & CEO. “CGT brings its considerable experience in construction, particularly in the North, to our project. Sabina is unique in that our Project is largely based on self-delivery for the majority of civil works and for underground development. CGT’s experience in Northern plant construction de-risks the execution of the Project and provides a higher degree of certainty to the associated costs. Additionally, the construction of our Winter Ice Road “WIR” to transport equipment and supplies to the Goose site has begun.”
Work on Sabina’s WIR is underway, with construction commenced from both the Goose and the Port Facility sites. Transportation operations are expected to start in February 2023 with an anticipated 1300 loads being moved from the Port to Goose.
2022 was a significant year for the Company and many initiatives were achieved. Sabina procured 95% of all materials and equipment required for construction, earthworks were significantly completed – particularly at the plant & accommodation complex site, the Company went from 26 full time employees in March 2022 to now over 160 employees – and still recruiting. The underground ramp has been developed and advanced (two years ahead of time) to enable the potential optimization of the mine plan. Exploration success continues with work in 2023 focusing on George, Sabina’s potential second mine on the District. In addition, Sabina’s significant efforts in environment and community relations over the years were recognized with the 2022 PDAC Sustainability Award.
For a Photo Gallery of 2022 site activities, please see here https://www.sabinagoldsilver.com/assets/docs/Sabina%20Photo%20Gallery%20Update.pdf
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:
The Company is also very committed to its Inuit stakeholders, with Inuit employment and opportunities a focus. The Company has signed a 20-year renewable land use agreement with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association and has committed to various sustainability initiatives under the agreement.
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.