Toronto-listed Novagold Resources and its Donlin gold mine partner, US investment firm Paulson Advisers, have partnered lead engineer Fluor Corporation with other sector heavyweights to deliver power and processing infrastructure for the proposed US$7.4 billion Donlin project in Alaska.
Currently updating the project’s bankable feasibility study after buying Barrick Mining out of Donlin last year, Novagold and Paulsen have appointed WSP, Worley and Hatch to progress vital unit studies and design. They announced Fluor would lead the BFS last month.
“We are assembling a world-class team to advance Donlin Gold, and WSP, Worley and Hatch are integral to that effort,” Novagold CEO Greg Lang said.
“Their respective expertise enhances our capability to advance the development of what is expected to become one of America’s largest gold mines, while maintaining our focus on responsible development and long-term value creation.”
Donlin’s approach “enables the pursuit of parallel workstreams, improves schedule efficiency, enhances risk management through discipline-specific oversight and enhances cost accuracy”, its owner said. “All workstreams will be coordinated and integrated by Fluor to ensure full alignment within a single, consolidated execution framework.”
WSP has been charged with designing the proposed project’s circa-215MW gas/diesel power plant while Worley will engineer a 508km pipeline to bring in gas from Cook Inlet.
Hatch’s brief is the proposed Donlin pressure oxidation circuit (POX) and oxygen plant, including civil, structural, utilities infrastructure and modularisation.
Fluor is aiming to wrap up the Donlin BFS in 2027.
