GOLDBORO – With new hiring underway, contractor outreach expanding and a series of community open houses scheduled across Guysborough County and Antigonish over the coming weeks, it is “full steam ahead” for NexGold Mining Corp.’s proposed Goldboro mine, according to president and CEO Kevin Bullock.
Asked whether anything had emerged to shake the company’s confidence in proceeding with the project, Bullock told The Journal in an interview last week: “Everything’s still full steam ahead.”
The comments come as the Toronto-based mining company prepares for one of its largest coordinated series of public and contractor engagement sessions yet, including events in Goldboro, Guysborough and Antigonish between May 26 and June 2.
NexGold’s upcoming sessions begin May 26 at the Goldboro Interpretative Centre from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a May 27 open house at the Chedabucto Lifestyle Complex in Guysborough from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
A public open house is scheduled for May 28 at the East Coast Credit Union Social Enterprise Centre in Antigonish from 3-6 p.m., followed by a contractor information session at the same location between 12-4 p.m. on June 2.
At the same time, Bullock said the company continues to build what he described as its “owner’s team” – the group responsible for helping guide the project through detailed planning, feasibility work and eventual construction, should the mine receive final approval from NexGold’s board later this year.
“We’ve hired 16 or 17 people on the owner’s team already,” Bullock said. “From engineers to process people, logistics people, that are all involved in this feasibility update.”
The company expects that number to grow to between 28 and 30 by year’s end, though Bullock noted some positions tied to detailed engineering and design work may be temporary.
NexGold is working toward an updated feasibility study expected by the end of August, followed by a planned final investment decision in September. If approved, Bullock said the company hopes to begin early works construction before the end of 2026.
“We’re still scheduled to make a final investment decision in September so that we can start early works construction in the fourth quarter of this year,” he said.
Bullock struck a similarly confident tone last November after NexGold secured its final major federal approvals, telling The Journal at the time: “We plan to start building following that.” He added then that the company expected production to begin by mid-2028.
The updated feasibility study is expected to incorporate new drilling data, revised construction and operating costs, and updated assumptions tied to gold prices and mine planning.
In March, NexGold announced a 30,000-metre infill drilling program focused on areas expected to be mined first if the project proceeds.
Bullock said the work now underway goes well beyond technical modelling.
“A lot of people that do feasibility studies will use a third-party consultant or consultants, which we are doing, but we’re heavily involved in it ourselves as well,” he said, adding that the goal is to ensure the people designing the project are also involved in building it.
“You can get a document, but then when you go to build something, you’ve got a totally different set of people building on what somebody else has planned,” Bullock said. “It’s important to have people that have built before involved in this that are going to be building the project.”
The open houses, meanwhile, are intended to expand direct communication with residents and businesses as the project advances.
“The intention really is to keep everybody informed in the communities and the areas in which we work,” Bullock said. “We don’t want any surprises. We don’t want people to get information third-hand that isn’t correct.”
The sessions will include NexGold’s first major public engagement event in Antigonish connected specifically to the Goldboro project, along with a contractor information session tied to a new online procurement portal launched through the company’s website, allowing businesses to register interest in future work connected to the mine.
“There’s a portal where people can list their company names, et cetera, so they can be involved in the process to bid on contracts and to supply quotes,” Bullock said. “So that’s all well underway.”
The proposed Goldboro mine has been steadily advancing through the regulatory and planning process for several years.
Last November, NexGold secured its final key federal approvals under the Fisheries Act, following provincial industrial approvals granted earlier in 2025.
The company has also secured a Crown land lease covering the proposed mine site and associated infrastructure footprint, while signing community benefits agreements with both the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs and the Municipality of the District of Guysborough.
According to provincial estimates, the roughly $250-million project could generate more than 700 jobs and contribute approximately $2.1 billion to Nova Scotia’s economy over its projected lifespan, including construction, operations and remediation.
Between 200 and 350 full-time workers are expected during construction and operations.
NexGold, formerly Signal Gold, emerged in 2024 through a merger between Signal and Treasury Metals. The company has been exploring and advancing the Goldboro property since 2017, when the project was still under Anaconda Mining.
