Mining & Trade News

Senior government officials representing Malawi's Technical Working Group (TWG) and Land Access Resettlement Working Group (LARWG) have visited the rehabilitation trial site undertaken by Sovereign Services and expressed satisfaction with progress.

The visit reaffirmed the government's commitment to promoting responsible mining investment aligned with national development goals.

The visit also highlighted the government’s pledge to promote sustainable mining investments in Malawi while ensuring environmental and social safeguards.

Acting Director of Mines at the Ministry of Mining Mphatso Chikoti emphasised the government’s role in fostering mining sector growth.

“As the Department of Mines, as well as the Ministry of Mining, our primary role is to promote mining investments in Malawi. Being here today is one way of fulfilling that mandate,” said Mr Chikoti after touring the rehabilitation site.

He noted the importance of mining companies working in collaboration other sectors such as agriculture and tourism, so that the country could experience economic development that is multisectoral lead.

"Mining cannot take place in a vacuum".

It takes place on land, and it has to exist with the surrounding communities. Here is a clear demonstration that after mining, the land can be rehabilitated. It can go back to its original state, even being improved. With the Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining (ATM) strategy, you already see here that there is coexistence. There is agriculture taking place here after mining has been done. Who knows, maybe tourism as well. Sovereign is doing a good job, and this is the way to go. It's a clear demonstration that even the other companies can also follow what Sovereign is doing,” he continued.

Addressing public misconceptions, Mr Chikoti clarified that Sovereign was currently operating under an exploration licence and had not yet commenced active mining, and that once mining began, it would be a transparent process.

“Mining is a structured cycle with multiple stages. Sovereign is still in the exploration phase, conducting feasibility studies and market surveys before any mining licence application is submitted."

“When a mining licence is granted, the entire country will know. We are closely monitoring Sovereign’s activities and expect a formal application in due course,” he continued.

Commissioner for Estate Management and Evaluation Mickson Chiundira commended Sovereign for adhering to responsible mining through its trial rehabilitation efforts.

“Last time we visited, there were pits and dams. Now, we see maize growing. If this is the standard post-mining, it is very promising,” he said.

Mr Chiundira also outlined the government’s measures to ensure fair land acquisition and compensation under the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act.

“We work closely with investors to ensure communities are adequately compensated, preventing conflicts and ensuring smooth project implementation,” he added.

The successful completion of Sovereign’s rehabilitation trial, which saw the land promptly restored and returned to farmers without missing a planting season, underscores the company’s commitment to responsible mining practices.

Alongside ongoing environmental assessments aimed at mitigating potential impacts, the company’s dedication to local communities is demonstrated through expanded educational scholarships, enhanced conservation agriculture training for hundreds of farmers, and significant improvements to water infrastructure, with numerous boreholes repaired and newly drilled.

The government-declared Special Planning Area, supported by Sovereign, provides a crucial framework for collaborative, managed development and controlled land use moving forward. Sovereign Services has continued to engage proactively with stakeholders, maintaining transparency via regular updates and an accessible grievance mechanism.

While the Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project remains in the study and engineering phase this year, with sample collection continuing purely for technical purposes without generating revenue, the company is steadfast in its approach to progress the project responsibly, prioritising environmental stewardship and community partnership, ahead of securing financing for future construction and resettlement phases.

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