SEMAFO Signs Underground Mining Services Contract with AUMS

MONTREAL, May 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEMAFO Inc. (TSX:SMF) (OMX:SMF) reports that it has signed a mining services contract with African Underground Mining Services ("AUMS") to provide turnkey mining services for Siou underground. AUMS is a well-known and reputable mining contractor with underground experience in Burkina Faso and across Africa.

Under the mining services contract, AUMS will be responsible for supplying the mining fleet and a skilled labour force for Siou underground in addition to ensuring development, production and auxiliary services. SEMAFO will provide technical services including geology and engineering as well as leveraging the existing surface infrastructure at Mana.

The mining services contract has a term of 70 months. The economic terms of the mining services contract are consistent with the economics presented in the Mana pre-feasibility study filed March 29, 2018 on SEDAR.

Preparatory work has already commenced on Siou underground with full project deployment scheduled for the third quarter of 2018. Both SEMAFO and AUMS have solid reputations for completing projects on time and on budget.  Production from Siou underground is expected in early 2020.

About SEMAFO
SEMAFO is a Canadian-based mining company with gold production and exploration activities in West Africa.  The Corporation operates the Mana Mine in Burkina Faso, which includes the high-grade satellite deposit of Siou, and is targeting production start-up of the Boungou Mine in the second quarter of 2018. SEMAFO's strategic focus is to maximize shareholder value by effectively managing its existing assets as well as pursuing organic and strategic growth opportunities.

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "will", "scheduled", "consistent with", "targeting", "pursuing", "growth", "opportunities" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include the ability to deploy Siou underground in the third quarter of 2018,  the ability to generate production from Siou underground in early 2020, the ability to execute on our strategic focus, fluctuation in the price of currencies, gold or operating costs, mining industry risks, uncertainty as to calculation of mineral reserves and resources, delays, political and social stability in Africa (including our ability to maintain or renew licenses and permits) and other risks described in SEMAFO's documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in SEMAFO's documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in SEMAFO's 2017 Annual MD&A, as updated in the First Quarter 2018 MD&A and other filings made with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. These documents are also available on our website at www.semafo.com. SEMAFO disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.

The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of SEMAFO under the Swedish Securities Market Act and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. This information was publicly communicated on May 24, 2018 at 8:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time.

For more information, contact 

SEMAFO
John Jentz
Vice-President, Corporate Development & Investor Relations
Email: John.Jentz@semafo.com

Ruth Hanna                                                                           
Analyst, Investor Relations                                  
Email: Ruth.Hanna@semafo.com

Tel. local & overseas: +1 (514) 744 4408
North America Toll-Free: 1 (888) 744 4408
Website: www.semafo.com