REG - Sovereign Metals Ltd - Test Pit Rehab Underway After Successful Backfill

Sovereign MetalsAnnouncement

17/12/2024 07:00

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RNS Number : 3565Q  Sovereign Metals Limited  17 December 2024

NEWS RELEASE I 17 DECEMBER 2024

TEST PIT REHABILITATION UNDERWAY FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL BACKFILLING

 ·         Run of mine material placed back in test pit post successful mining trials
 ·         Rehabilitation of test pit area underway, remediating soils to support
           sustainable farming post-closure
 ·         Test pit mined, backfilled, rehabilitated and returned to farmers without loss
           of a single planting season

 

Figure 1: Test pit backfilling

 

Sovereign Metals Limited (ASX:SVM; AIM:SVML; OTCQX: SVMLF) (Sovereign or the
Company) is pleased to announce that the test pit mined during the Pilot
Mining and Land Rehabilitation Program (Pilot Phase) at its Kasiya
Rutile-Graphite Project (Kasiya or the Project) in Malawi has been
successfully backfilled. This has allowed Sovereign to commence with on-site
soil remediation and land rehabilitation activities, testing our proposed
rehabilitation approach and demonstrating that the mined land can support
sustainable farming post-closure.

Managing Director and CEO Frank Eagar commented: "The successful backfilling
of the test pit has confirmed our understanding of the Kasiya orebody and
provides valuable data for our Optimisation Study. Now we have moved on to
rehabilitation, demonstrating to local communities how we will progressively
mine, backfill and rehabilitate land during operations. This was an important
objective of the Pilot Phase. The successful return of farmers to their land
within such a short space of time and without missing a single planting season
after mining and backfilling 170,000m(3) will build on our positive community
relationships. These farmers will be direct beneficiaries of our ongoing
conservation farming initiatives to develop successful smallholder farmers."

Backfill Program Successfully Complete

During the Pilot Phase mining trials, 170,000m(3) was mined using a
conventional excavator fleet. The fleet was used to place mined material back
into the pit, filling the pit to the original ground level in less than two
months and ahead of schedule.

 

Figures 2-5: Stages of test pit mining and backfilling

Test Pit Rehabilitation

The rehabilitation approach has been based on agronomic principles, including
promoting sustainable farming practices and providing various end-land uses.
Rehabilitation is underway through a five-step process:

Step 1: Introduce Lime

The land rehabilitation demonstration commenced with the application and
incorporation of locally sourced dolomitic lime (calcium and
calcium-magnesium-carbonate) to improve naturally low PH levels.

Step 2: Introduce Carbon and Basic Nutrients

Sovereign is augmenting the mined area with organic carbon and basic nutrients
to support post-closure farming. The Company is testing the application of
biochar (to provide carbon) and fertiliser (in the form of potash (MOP),
phosphate (MAP) and a blend of nitrogen, potash, and sulphur (NPK) 15:23:16).

Step 3: Grading, Ripping and Discing

Lime, biochar, and fertiliser are incorporated into the soil through grading,
ripping, and discing using graders and locally sourced farming equipment. This
ensures the land is level and safe and that essential inputs are incorporated
into the soil.

Step 4: Planting of Rehabilitation Crops

In December 2024 and January 2025, Sovereign has and will plant rehabilitation
crops to maximise the benefit of the coming summer rainfall. Giant bamboo will
be introduced in 4 by 8-metre blocks and will act as the primary crop to
enhance carbon and bioactivity in the remediated soils. To return the land to
farmers, maize and other cover crops will be intercropped between the giant
bamboo in formalised farm blocks.

Step 5: Monitoring and Evaluation

Sovereign will monitor soil remediation, plant growth and crop yields. As part
of stakeholder engagement, the Company will work with local farmers to improve
results through conservation farming, composting operations, testing new seed
varieties and establishing an indigenous, fruit and farming nursery. This will
serve as a live demonstration of rehabilitation and timely return of land to
pre-mining use.

Figure 6: Introduction of lime at the backfilled test pit

Figure 7: Farming equipment incorporating lime, biochar and fertiliser into
the previously mined soil

 

 Enquires
 Frank Eagar, Managing Director & CEO      Sapan Ghai, CCO

 South Africa / Malawi                     London

 +27 21 065 1890                           +44 207 478 3900

 

 Nominated Adviser on AIM and Joint Broker
 SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP             +44 20 3470 0470
 Ewan Leggat

 Charlie Bouverat

 Joint Brokers
 Stifel                                     +44 20 7710 7600
 Varun Talwar
 Ashton Clanfield

 Berenberg                                  +44 20 3207 7800
 Matthew Armitt
 Jennifer Lee

 Buchanan                                   + 44 20 7466 5000

 

 

Forward Looking Statement

This release may include forward-looking statements, which may be identified
by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "projects", "plans",
and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on
Sovereign's expectations and beliefs concerning future events. Forward looking
statements are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors,
many of which are outside the control of Sovereign, which could cause actual
results to differ materially from such statements. There can be no assurance
that forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Sovereign makes no
undertaking to subsequently update or revise the forward-looking statements
made in this release, to reflect the circumstances or events after the date of
that release.

 

 

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