Focused on Progressing the Donlin Gold Project to a Fully Updated Feasibility Study
Wide-Ranging Community Involvement and Government Engagement to Sustain Donlin Gold's Social License
Strong Treasury of Approximately $106 Million in Cash and Term Deposits
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. ("NOVAGOLD" or the "Company") ((NYSE American, TSX:NG) today released its 2024 third quarter financial results and provided an update on its Tier One1 gold development project, Donlin Gold, which NOVAGOLD owns equally with Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick").
Details of the financial results for the quarter ended August 31, 2024, are presented in the consolidated financial statements and quarterly report filed on Form 10-Q on October 2, 2024, available on the Company's website at www.novagold.com, on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.
In the third quarter of 2024, the following milestones were achieved:
Donlin Gold activities included:
Metallurgical test work (pilot plant) to confirm flowsheet optimizations advanced with completion expected by year-end.
Submission of the majority of the Dam Safety Certification preliminary design packages to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR) on June 17, 2024, with the final documents expected to be submitted by year-end. Comments from ADNR are anticipated to be received in 2025.
Updated resource modelling by the Donlin Gold team and a third-party consultant nearing completion.
Incorporation of field and geochemical data to update groundwater and surface water models for operational and closure planning.
Subsequent to the third quarter, NOVAGOLD and Barrick held a Donlin Gold workshop in Alaska to review the substantial work completed to date and to discuss next steps for the Donlin Gold project and related activities for 2025.
In collaboration with Calista Corporation ("Calista") and The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC), Donlin Gold achieved significant milestones in education, health and safety, cultural preservation, and environmental initiatives that include:
Hosted Crooked Creek and Georgetown residents on a tour of the Donlin Gold project.
Participated in a public Open House in Anchorage, providing Alaskans with the opportunity to learn more about the project and engage in open and transparent discussions.
Sponsored the RurAL CAP Elder Mentor Program, connecting youth with Elders in Alaska and fostering the sharing of values and knowledge between generations.
Increased collaboration with the Alaska School Activities Association, a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of high school-level athletic, academic, and fine arts programs across the State.
NOVAGOLD reported the following:
Appointment of Peter Adamek, a seasoned financial executive with over 20 years of experience, as the Company's new Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
NOVAGOLD maintains a strong financial position to continue to advance the Donlin Gold project up the value chain, with a healthy treasury of $105.6 million in cash and term deposits as of August 31, 2024.
_______________1 NOVAGOLD defines a Tier One gold development project as one with a projected production life of at least 10 years, annual projected production of at least 500,000 ounces of gold, and average projected cash costs over the production life that are in the lower half of the industry cost curve.
President's Message
Focused on Finalizing Key Project Activities to Drive the Donlin Gold Project Development
During the third quarter of 2024, Donlin Gold advanced key activities to position the project to update technical work and cost estimates. Our commitment to a collaborative and inclusive approach continues to benefit all shareholders and stakeholders.
Principal activities included the advancement of metallurgical test work at a pilot plant in Ontario, Canada to confirm proposed optimizations to the flowsheet (with completion expected by year-end), as well as updated resource modelling by the Donlin Gold team and a third-party consultant that is also nearing completion. In addition, recent Donlin Gold field data was used to update groundwater and surface water models, while geochemical data collection continues and will be used for closure planning. Our work on the Dam Safety Certification continues to progress with the majority of the preliminary design packages submitted to the ADNR on June 17, 2024, with final documents expected to be submitted by year-end. Comments from the ADNR on the Dam Safety Certification preliminary design packages are anticipated in 2025.
These comprehensive efforts have delivered highly valuable insights for the Donlin Gold LLC Board and its owners. Guiding our strategy for the Donlin Gold project and its 2025 initiatives, these activities were reviewed at our latest workshop in Alaska with Barrick and will contribute critical data for advancing Donlin Gold. NOVAGOLD is committed to advancing the project with a focus on financial prudence, engineering excellence, environmental responsibility, and a strong safety culture.
Our outreach in Alaska, particularly in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) region, and in Washington, D.C., has strengthened community engagement and reinforces the project's social license. The Company appreciates the diligent contributions of the Donlin Gold team, partners, and stakeholders, and remains dedicated to developing the project to its full potential. With $105.6 million in cash and term deposits as of August 31, 2024, NOVAGOLD is well-positioned to support this effort.
We were very pleased to announce Peter Adamek's appointment as the Company's new Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in the third quarter. Peter is a seasoned financial executive with over 20 years of experience, most recently with Hudbay Minerals Inc. He joins a leadership team that has consistently demonstrated diligence and responsible capital stewardship while enhancing value and upholding strong shareholder engagement.
Ongoing Engagement with Stakeholders and Government to Enhance Donlin Gold's Social License
In collaboration with Calista and TKC, the mineral and surface rights holders, Donlin Gold LLC has made significant strides in local community and government engagement across the Y-K region, Alaska, and Washington, D.C. Strategically located on private land designated by law for mineral development under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, the Donlin Gold project enjoys deep involvement with Native Corporations, strengthening our connections with people from the region and local government bodies.
Our enduring partnerships with Calista and TKC have been crucial in advancing the project's development and permitting efforts. Over decades, our commitment to engaging with the 62 stakeholder communities in the Y-K region has built meaningful relationships, enhanced investment, and reinforced our social license. This longstanding dedication underscores the approach of the Donlin Gold project and its partners, Calista and TKC, to foster robust relationships with both local communities and governmental entities built on trust, transparency, respect and partnership.
In July, Donlin Gold hosted a project site tour for a group of residents from Crooked Creek and the Native Village of Georgetown.
In August, Calista, TKC, and Donlin Gold hosted a public Open House in Anchorage, providing Alaskans with the opportunity to learn more about the project and to engage in open and transparent discussions. NOVAGOLD was in attendance to participate, interact, and engage with key stakeholders.
These are just two examples of the many engagements Donlin Gold prioritizes to raise awareness and maintain transparency around the project.
Sustained Support and Participation in Local Community and Environmental Initiatives Throughout the Y-K Region
NOVAGOLD remains deeply committed to community and social responsibility, upholding shared values at the Donlin Gold project site and within the Y-K region. Through initiatives spanning education, community wellness, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship, we support fisheries studies, environmental activities, subsistence, cultural preservation efforts, and various grants. Our collaboration with Calista and TKC has driven a range of activities and projects over the past quarter.
Since mid-2023, NOVAGOLD and Donlin Gold have intensified efforts with our Alaska Native Corporation partners to monitor, survey and engage in the dialogue on salmon fisheries in the Kuskokwim and Yukon River watersheds. In the third quarter, we focused on identifying opportunities to monitor, evaluate, and strengthen salmon populations. Notably, we launched a salmon smolt monitoring program on the George River, a tributary of the Kuskokwim River, in partnership with the Village of Napaimute to assess smolt health and migration patterns.
In addition, Donlin Gold and NOVAGOLD have supported the "In It for The Long Haul" backhaul program for seven years now, collecting and safely disposing of household hazardous and electronic waste from Y-K villages. This year alone, approximately 140,000 pounds of material were recycled, for an impressive total of approximately 803,000 pounds of hazardous materials removed from the Y-K region since the program began in 2018.
Donlin Gold's partnership with the Crooked Creek Traditional Council has supported the Summer Youth Employment program, providing local youth with hands-on experience in various work environments while also assisting Elders. In the third quarter, Donlin Gold continued sponsoring the RurAL CAP Elder Mentor Program, which connects youth with Elders to foster intergenerational knowledge and support academic engagement and school readiness across the State. Donlin Gold also shipped dictionaries to all school districts in the Y-K region for third graders as part of The Dictionary Project, a national effort to promote literacy and creative thinkers, a project they have participated in annually since 2012.
Donlin Gold has also reaffirmed its commitment to the Alaska School Activities Association, supporting high school-level athletic, academic, and fine arts programs statewide. Donlin Gold's ongoing financial contributions highlight our steadfast dedication to enhancing educational and extracurricular opportunities for students throughout Alaska.
NOVAGOLD remains committed to stakeholder engagement and community development working closely with Tribal communities and Alaska Native Corporations to identify needs and collaboratively develop solutions that enhance and uplift communities, fostering sustainable growth and shared prosperity for future generations.
Proactively Defending and Upholding Current State and Federal Permits and Working to Secure Remaining Key State Permits
Donlin Gold, in collaboration with Calista, actively supports Federal and State agencies in defending the project's permits against legal challenges — a strategy that has proven highly effective in maintaining permit approvals to date. The intricate permitting process in the United States and Alaska demands years of dedicated, transparent, and inclusive efforts to engage all stakeholders, including those from the Y-K region. With a profound understanding of the regulatory landscape, Donlin Gold and its partners are committed to supporting Federal and State agencies through any challenges to the project's permits and are now concentrating on securing the remaining State-level permits and certificates needed for the project's advancement. While maintaining jurisdictional safety presents challenges, particularly as regulations vary across regions, the State of Alaska stands out as a stable and reliable investment environment. As the second-largest gold-producing state in one of the world's safest countries for free enterprise2, Alaska offers investors stability and certainty that their assets will remain secure. This makes the rigorous permitting process a worthwhile endeavor in an increasingly complex world.
Earthjustice filed their opening brief with the Alaska Superior Court on January 5, 2024, appealing the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner's decision upholding the 401 Water Quality Certification. The briefing is complete and oral arguments were held on August 30, 2024. A decision is anticipated from the Alaska Superior Court by 2025.
In other State litigation, following an unsuccessful appeal to the ADNR Commissioner, Earthjustice filed their opening brief with the Alaska Supreme Court on January 4, 2024, appealing the Alaska Superior Court's decision on Donlin Gold's water rights permits. Additionally, briefing on Earthjustice's appeal of the Alaska Superior Court affirmation of ADNR's issuance of the State pipeline Right-of-Way (ROW) lease to the Alaska Supreme Court was completed in February 2024. Oral arguments for both the water rights permits and the State pipeline ROW are scheduled for November 12, 2024.
In the Federal litigation challenging the Donlin Gold Joint Record of Decision, including the 404 permit and ROW for portions of the pipeline crossing federal lands, the Court issued a decision on September 30, 2024. The decision upheld the federal agencies' analysis on two of the three issues raised in the litigation, but agreed with the plaintiffs that the federal agencies took too narrow a view in analyzing the impact of a theoretical release from the tailing storage facility. The Court requested supplemental briefing on the appropriate remedy for addressing this issue, which is due October 21, 2024, and response briefing is due November 4, 2024. Donlin Gold is committed to working with the federal agencies and all stakeholders on an appropriate remedy to address the Court's decision.
_______________2 Per the 2024 Mineral Commodity Summaries Report – https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2024/mcs2024-gold.pdf.
Dedicated to Advancing Donlin Gold for the Benefit of All Shareholders and Stakeholders
NOVAGOLD strongly believes that the Donlin Gold project represents a compelling investment opportunity in the gold market, especially amidst the scarcity of high-quality assets in secure jurisdictions and the gold price recently reaching an all-time high. Situated in Alaska — a well-established mining destination — Donlin Gold holds significant potential. The project boasts approximately 39 million ounces of gold at a grade of 2.24 grams per tonne in Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, inclusive of Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves3. This robust asset, with a projected mine life of 27 years and average annual gold production in excess of a million ounces per year, is not only projected to be a low-cost, open-pit producer, but it also offers exploration upside — extending beyond the currently defined resource areas, which represent less than half of the presently identified eight-kilometer mineralized trend.
Advancing Donlin ...
