Sovereign Metals completes mining trials at Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project
Sovereign Metals Limited has achieved a key milestone at its Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project in Malawi, successfully completing the mining trials stage of its Pilot Mining and Land Rehabilitation Program.
The Kasiya Rutile-graphite project is a greenfield mining project located within the Lilongwe and Dowa districts in the Central Region of the Republic of Malawi in south-eastern Africa. The project site is located approximately 40km north-west of Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital.
Managing Director and CEO, Frank Eagar made the announcement and said this initiative forms part of the Kasiya Optimisation Study, designed to optimize operations at what is recognized as a Tier 1 project. The hydraulic mining trials confirmed that Kasiya’s soft, friable ore can be mined efficiently.
Mining trials
Dry Mining test pit measuring 120m x 110m was excavated to a depth of 20m using conventional dry mining techniques and a mobile excavator fleet. The backfilling of the test pit has commenced and is scheduled to conclude in December 2024.
Small rehabilitation demonstration pits have been constructed to test various approaches, aiming to restore land to its original or improved agricultural productivity. The project seeks to reassure local communities of successful post-mining land rehabilitation. Data from the trials will inform the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the project.
CEO, Frank Eagar, emphasized the success of the mining trials and expressed confidence in the ongoing rehabilitation phase, highlighting the company’s commitment to sustainable mining practices. The program underscores Sovereign’s ambition to position itself as a leader in supplying titanium and graphite, essential materials for industrial and energy applications.
