REG - Central Asia Metals - Publication of 2024 Sustainability Report

Central Asia MetalsAnnouncement

15/04/2025 07:02

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
https://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20250415:nRSO9878Ea&default-theme=true

RNS Number : 9878E  Central Asia Metals PLC  15 April 2025

15 April 2025

Central Asia Metals plc

(the 'Group', the 'Company' or 'CAML')

Publication of 2024 Sustainability Report

Central Asia Metals plc (AIM: CAML) is pleased to announce the publication of
its 2024 Sustainability Report, alongside a series of supporting factsheets to
follow. These materials outline in detail the Group's sustainability strategy
and performance for the year ended 31 December 2024, including at the Kounrad
copper operation in Kazakhstan and the Sasa zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia.
The report is available to view on the Company's website.

 

This marks CAML's sixth standalone Sustainability Report, and it has been
prepared:

-       in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Standards

-       in alignment with information covering Taskforce for
Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) expectations

-       mapped to Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)

-       containing details on CAML's Global Industry Standard on
Tailings Management (GISTM) conformance.

The report outlines CAML's responsible business approach, focusing on
maintaining safe, healthy operations and minimising environmental and social
impacts. It also highlights the Group's transparent reporting and continuous
improvement across key sustainability areas.

As part of its long-term commitment to sustainability, CAML has set a number
of performance targets, which the Company will report against in next year's
Sustainability Report. These are outlined in the 2024 report, with further
targets to be added in future as appropriate.

2025 Sustainability Targets

 Maintaining health and safety       ‒   Zero fatalities

                                     ‒   Lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) target for 2024 below 1.13
 Valuing our people                  ‒   Zero days lost to labour unrest

                                     ‒   Maintain 99% local employment across both operations
 Caring for the environment          ‒   Zero severe or major environmental incidents

                                     ‒   50% reduction in the Group's Scope 1 & 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
                                     emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050

                                     ‒   75% reduction in surface-water abstraction at Sasa by end-2026 (vs.
                                     2020)

                                     ‒   70% of tailings to be stored in a more environmentally responsible
                                     manner (paste-backfill and dry-stack tailings) by end of 2026
 Creating value for our communities  ‒   Zero severe or major community-related incidents

                                     ‒   Maintain the level of community support to an annualised average of
                                     0.5% of Group revenue

                                     ‒   Work with local community leaders to develop long-term, sustainable
                                     development plans, unrelated to our operations, for the communities in which
                                     we operate
 Ensuring ethical business           ‒   Zero human rights abuses

                                     ‒   Zero reported cases of bribery and corruption

 

Gavin Ferrar, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

 

"2024 was a year of continued strong performance and meaningful progress for
CAML, as we delivered value for all our stakeholders - including employees,
local communities, governments, suppliers and shareholders - while navigating
operational changes at Sasa and advancing our goals in each of our five
sustainability pillars.

 

"We conducted our second double materiality assessment to ensure we are
focusing on the sustainability topics most relevant to our business. The
process included internal reviews, stakeholder engagement and data analysis,
considering both the Group's impact on people and the environment, as well as
how sustainability-related risks and opportunities could affect business and
financial performance.

 

"During a key year of transition to a new mining method at Sasa, health and
safety remained our top priority. We achieved a Group Lost Time Injury
Frequency Rate (LTIFR) of 0.77, well below our target and underscoring our
ongoing commitment to safe, profitable production. We also laid the foundation
for a Group-wide Safety Culture Strategy following a comprehensive internal
review.

 

"To support this transition, we facilitated site visits to leading global
mining operations, promoting knowledge-sharing and the adoption of best
practices. More broadly, we invested in our people through training,
mentoring, sponsorship, education outreach and succession planning initiatives
to ensure a resilient and skilled workforce for the future.

 

"We continued to deliver on our climate strategy, achieving a 44% reduction in
Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions since our 2020 baseline, keeping us on track for a
50% reduction by 2030. In Kazakhstan, our Solar Power Plant completed its
first full year of operation, generating approximately 14% of Kounrad's
electricity needs.

 

"We were proud to achieve conformance with the Global Industry Standard on
Tailings Management (GISTM) at Sasa, following a three-year implementation
programme. This achievement reflects our commitment to global best practices
in tailings management. We made strong progress in responsible tailings
management, with one third of our mineral waste stored underground during the
year - a key milestone on our path to storing 70% of tailings in a more
environmentally responsible way by 2026. This method enhances safety, reduces
surface waste, and conserves water.

 

"We continued to contribute 0.5% of Group revenue to our foundations for
community support and, in 2024, we invested $0.7 million in community
projects. At Sasa, we launched an 'acceleration programme' to promote local
sustainable development and entrepreneurship. In Kazakhstan, our STEAM
education initiative is helping to build future skills and knowledge. The
first phase involved training 69 teachers from 16 schools and conducting an
audit of school STEAM classes to assess equipment, resources and to identify
gaps in teacher capacity.

 

"Since commencing operations at Kounrad in 2012 and acquiring Sasa in 2017, we
have contributed over $392 million in taxes across Kazakhstan and North
Macedonia. These contributions, alongside our local employment and procurement
efforts, create lasting value in the regions where we operate. We also
strengthened our corporate governance and ethics framework in 2024,
undertaking a comprehensive policy review and conducting a human rights impact
assessment to ensure we remain aligned with evolving global standards and
stakeholder expectations.

 

"In 2024, we remained true to our purpose - to produce base metals essential
for modern living in a safe, sustainable and responsible way. We are proud of
the progress we have made, and we remain committed to further enhancing our
sustainability performance in the years ahead. As always, we welcome feedback
from our stakeholders."

 

 

For further information contact:

 Central Asia Metals                             Tel: +44 (0) 20 7898 9001
 Gavin Ferrar
 CEO
 Louise Wrathall
 CFO
 Richard Morgan                                  richard.morgan@centralasiametals.com
 Investor Relations Manager

 Peel Hunt (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)  Tel: +44 (0) 20 7418 8900
 Ross Allister
 David McKeown

 Emily Bhasin

 BMO Capital Markets (Joint Broker)              Tel: +44 (0) 20 7236 1010
 Thomas Rider
 Pascal Lussier Duquette

 BlytheRay (PR Advisers)                         Tel: +44 (0) 20 7138 3204
 Tim Blythe
 Megan Ray

Note to editors:

Central Asia Metals, an AIM-quoted UK company based in London, owns 100% of
the Kounrad SX-EW copper project in central Kazakhstan and 100% of the Sasa
zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia. The Company also owns an 80% interest in
CAML Exploration, a subsidiary formed to progress early-stage exploration
opportunities in Kazakhstan, and a 28.4% interest in Aberdeen Minerals Ltd, a
privately-owned UK company focused on the exploration and development of base
metals opportunities in northeast Scotland.

For further information, please visit www.centralasiametals.com and follow
CAML on X at @CamlMetals and on LinkedIn at Central Asia Metals Plc

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
 or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
.   END  MSCUSVWRVAUSAAR