Silvercorp Metals Inc. (TSX: SVM) (NYSE: SVM) is pleased to announce its construction budget for the development of the El Domo Project. The Company is targeting bringing the Project into production by the end of 2026 at an estimated cost of $240.5 million, comparable to the $247.6 million estimate in the feasibility study (NI 43-101 Technical Report – Feasibility Study – Curipamba El Domo Project, Central Ecuador) published in 2021.

As discussed in its January 7, 2025 Press Release, the Company has been building upon the 2021 Feasibility Study, with work to date focusing on:

1. Advanced Detailed Engineering for: a) Optimized design with Klohn Crippen Berger for the Tailings Storage Facilities, Saprolite Waste Dump, and non-contact water channels; b) Optimized open pit mine design for mining, stripping, and scheduling, and coordinated the mining schedule with ongoing tailings dam construction by internal mining engineers; and c) Detailed Engineering Design for the process plant and equipment selection by Yantai Jinpeng Mining Machinery Co., Ltd and Yantai Orient Metallurgical Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd (together “Jinpeng”), a China certified Engineering Design, Manufacture and Construction Group which has provided design, equipment, and construction for mining process plants in China and internationally.
2. Advanced Project Infrastructure for: a) Optimized designs for a new public bypass road and internal operational haul roads; b) Executed a powerline contract with the Ecuadorian state-owned power company (CNEL EP) and initiated bidding process for contractor selection; and c) permitting and sourcing for standby diesel power generators for the dry season, as climate change has impacted the power supply situation in Ecuador.
3. Produced Project Materials Balance for: a) Bid Package 1: Construction of temporary camp, TSF to starter dam phase, SWD, non-contact water channels, internal haul roads, and preparation of the process plant site and permanent camp site; b) Bid Package 2: Open Pit Mining, stripping and ongoing tailings dam raises using stripped waste rocks; c) Bid Package 3: Construction of the process plant, tailings discharge and reclaim water systems, water treatment plants, permanent camp, and other site infrastructures; d) Bid Package 4 for the construction of the Power line; and e) Bid Package 5 for the diesel power generators.

Capital Cost Estimate Details

The table below summarizes the schedule and costs to construct the El Domo Project:

Package #1 – Site Preparation/Roads/Channel/TSF 

The commercial contract for Package #1 was awarded in January 2025 to CRCC 14 Bureau Group Co. Ltd. (“CRCC 14”), a company with a regional headquarters in Quito, and over ten years operating experience in Ecuador building infrastructure in open pit mines and in the heavy civil construction sector. CCRC 14 has been on-site conducting various earthworks since January 2025.

The estimated capital costs for Package #1 are based on the unit prices as indicated in the contract multiplied by the design quantities of each activity. The table below summarizes the estimated schedule and costs for Package #1.

Package #2 – Open Pit Mining and Stripping 

The cost estimates are based on the optimized mine plan, which is based on the 2021 Feasibility Study, and the initial quotations received from interested contractors on a “Unit Cost” basis, that is the cost of drilling, blasting and removing each cubic metre of rock a certain distance. The Company has not yet awarded the commercial contract for Package #2. The table below summarizes the estimated schedule and costs for Package #2.

The Company expects to commence stripping of the open pit in August 2025, and a total of 5.4 million cubic metres of sediments and waste rocks will be stripped and among this, 3.5 million cubic metres of non-acid generation (NAG) waste rock will be used to build the starter dam and Stage 2 dam of the TSF, permanent camp foundation, and 43,000 tonnes of ore to be produced by the end of 2026. With this stripping of waste rocks, ore in pit, ready to be mined, is expected to be 550,000 cubic metres to support three years of ore production.

Package #3 – Processing Plant Construction and Equipment

The Company has engaged Jinpeng to complete the detailed engineering design of the processing plant based on the 2021 Feasibility Study. Jinpeng is also finalizing the detailed flowsheet, equipment selection and cost estimates for the processing plant construction and equipment. The improvements from the design of the 2021 Feasibility Study are to build a steel-framed building to cover run of ore to avoid tropical storm leaching, and to cover all equipment and operational facilities with steel-framed building. The cost estimates are based on the engineering design, initial bidding price for major equipment from international vendors, market prices for minor equipment in China plus shipping cost, current construction cost in Ecuador.

The total cost for the processing plant and equipment is estimated at $33.0 million. The major equipment bid process and ordering are expected to be completed by the end of May 2025. Construction of the main plant and auxiliary facilities are expected to commence in September 2025, with major equipment installation expected to commence in May 2026. The Company expects to complete construction and equipment installation by November 2026, with commissioning of the process plant occurring in December 2026.

Power line construction and Stand-by Diesel Power Generators

The Company is currently updating the engineering work for the power line construction and is in the process of selecting contractors to construct the power line. The construction of the power line is expected to be initiated in May 2025 and completed in 13-17 months. The Company has also sourced diesel power generators as standby and emergency power to satisfy Ecuador market conditions. The standby diesel power generators are expected to be in operation before the completion of the process plant.

Cost estimates comparison 

Compared to the cost estimate of $247.6 million in the 2021 Feasibility Study, differences are:

• Direct costs reduced by $32.6 million to $159.5 million from $192 million, due to savings by employing a Unit Cost contract and detailed engineering;
• VAT reduced by $5.9 million to $19.1 million from $25 million due to reduction of direct costs;
• Contingency increased by $9.9 million to $31.9 million from $22.0 million; and
• Owner’s costs and burn rates increased by $20.0 million to $30.0 million from $10 million.

Guoliang Ma, P. Geo., Manager of Exploration and Resource of the Company, is the Qualified Person for Silvercorp for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

About Silvercorp

Silvercorp is a Canadian mining company producing silver, gold, lead, and zinc with a long history of profitability and growth potential. The Company’s strategy is to create shareholder value by 1) focusing on generating free cash flow from long life mines; 2) organic growth through extensive drilling for discovery; 3) ongoing merger and acquisition efforts to unlock value; and 4) long term commitment to responsible mining and ESG.