Exhibit A

[FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]

RIGHTS CERTIFICATE

Certificate No. __________

__________ Rights

THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE CORPORATION, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION 3.1(b) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON, OR TRANSFEREES OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ITS ASSOCIATES OR AFFILIATES (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR ANY PERSON ACTING JOINTLY OR IN CONCERT WITH ANY OF THEM, MAY BECOME VOID WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ACTION.

This certifies that ____________________, or registered assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement dated as of the 8th day of June, 2011, (the "Rights Agreement") between Nevsun Resources Ltd., a corporation existing under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), (the "Corporation") and Computershare Investor Services Inc., a corporation existing under the laws of Canada, as rights agent (the "Rights Agent", which term shall include any successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement) to purchase from the Corporation at any time after the Separation Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to the Expiration Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), one fully paid and non-assessable Common Share of the Corporation (a "Common Share") at the Exercise Price referred to below, upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate together with the Form of Election to Exercise duly executed and submitted to the Rights Agent at its principal office in the city of Vancouver.  The Exercise Price shall initially be $50 (Canadian) per Right and shall be subject to adjustment in certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement.

In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the number of Common Shares which each Right entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase shall be adjusted as provided in the Rights Agreement.

This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Rights Agent, the Corporation and the holders of the Rights.  Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the registered office of the Corporation and are available upon written request.

This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at any of the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing an aggregate number of Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Common Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered.  If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate may be, and under certain circumstances are required to be, redeemed by the Corporation at a redemption price of $0.0001 per Right.

No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof, a payment by cheque will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Common Shares or of any other securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable upon the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders of the Corporation at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders of the Corporation (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends, distributions or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

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This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Corporation.

Date: ____________________

NEVSUN RESOURCES LTD.
By:	By:

Countersigned:

COMPUTERSHARE INVESTOR SERVICES INC.
By:
	Authorized Signature