Sovereign Metals (ASX: SVM) has reported outstanding results from first-year rehabilitation trials at its Kasiya rutile-graphite project in Malawi.

The trials demonstrated maize yields five times higher than regional averages, validating the company’s progressive land rehabilitation model.

Management said the outcomes provide critical empirical data to de-risk the Definitive Feasibility Study and strengthen the project’s environmental, social and governance credentials.

Successful Rehabilitation Outcomes

The 10-hectare pilot program delivered an average maize yield of 5.2 tonnes per hectare compared with the local average of 1t/ha.

Sovereign implemented a systematic six-step approach that included backfilling, grading, and restoring the land to original contours before applying lime, biochar and fertilisers to enhance nutrients.

The trial also integrated intercropping of maize and legumes with strategically planted bamboo blocks, boosting soil health and enabling year-round productivity.

Drip irrigation supported winter farming programs, demonstrating how rehabilitated land can provide sustainable agricultural output well beyond the mining phase.

These results show that mined areas can be returned to more productive use than pre-mining conditions, reinforcing closure planning and long-term value for local communities.

Responsible Development Benchmark

Chief executive officer Frank Eagar said the findings underscore the company’s broader vision for Kasiya as a benchmark in responsible resource development.

“These outstanding rehabilitation results represent another critical milestone in our systematic approach to developing Kasiya into a Tier 1, low carbon, sustainable operation,” Mr Eagar said.

He added that the empirical data directly informs the feasibility study and further de-risks the project by demonstrating practical, scalable rehabilitation success.

Environmental manager Marco Da Cunha emphasised that the program prioritised collaboration, with local farmers directly involved in developing agronomic-driven rehabilitation practices, and that Sovereign is committed to ensuring all disturbed land is returned to productive use for agriculture, enhancing long-term benefits beyond mining.

Community Partnership Model

Sovereign worked with 28 local farmers through a two-year lease of the trial site, deliberately favouring local labour over mechanised equipment to maximise community benefits.

The program allowed farmers to actively participate in soil remediation, planting, and harvesting, while gaining first-hand experience with the techniques being trialled.

At the end of the 2025–2026 harvest season, the rehabilitated land will revert to the farmers, ensuring that community members directly benefit from improved productivity.

This shared approach has strengthened Sovereign’s social licence, building trust and creating a replicable model for scaled-up engagement across the project area.

The company said the trial’s success provides a strong foundation for expanding its rehabilitation and agricultural support programs as Kasiya moves towards development.

Kasiya DFS Integration

Sovereign will now fully integrate the rehabilitation strategy into the Kasiya Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), providing de-risked inputs for mining schedules, backfilling and closure planning.

The company said the combination of improved soil productivity, bamboo planting and carbon sequestration potential supports its environmental stewardship credentials.

The results also provide clear evidence for project-specific closure provisioning, ensuring long-term sustainability and community resilience after mining ends.

Sovereign anticipates further rehabilitation trials and expanded partnerships as it advances development and seeks to establish Kasiya as a genuine Tier 1 sustainable operation.

Management said the integration of these outcomes strengthens the project’s value proposition to stakeholders, regulators and future offtake partners alike.