The Board of Directors of NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. announced with great sadness that Mr. Igor Levental, a long-tenured director of the Company, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on June 10, 2022. Mr. Levental served as an independent director of the Company since 2010 and over the past twelve years shared his extensive knowledge of the mining industry and brought a unique perspective to NOVAGOLD's Board of Directors and its Committees. Mr. Levental was instrumental in the reorganization of the Company in 2012.

His distinguished international mining career spanned more than 30 years, where he held numerous board roles and senior roles earlier in his career with major mining companies such as Homestake Mining Company and International Corona Corporation. At the time of his passing, Mr. Levental served as President of The Electrum Group.