Sovereign Metals Ltd (ASX:SVM, OTC:SVMLF, AIM:SVML) has kicked off a hydraulic mining trial at its Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project in Malawi as part of an ongoing Pilot Mining and Land Rehabilitation Program.
Suitable for hydraulic mining
The trial will build on earlier test work conducted as part of the Kasiya Optimisation Study, which suggested that the soft, friable nature of the Kasiya orebody should be suitable for hydraulic mining.
This trial is expected to take around three months to complete and will include backfilling of the main trial pit, deposition and rehabilitation test work.
The trial is being conducted by Fraser Alexander, a global industry leader in hydraulic mining, following successful completion of a dry mining trial in July 2024.
Managing director and CEO Frank Eagar said: “With valuable insights gained from the dry-mining approach at Kasiya, we are now entering the next phase, which includes the commencement of the hydraulic mining tests, processing and backfilling material, and progressing towards the rehabilitation phase, which we expect to take three months to complete.
“Results from the pilot phase, in particular the analysis of dry-mining versus hydraulic mining, will be fundamental for the ongoing optimisation study.”
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) increases interest
In July the company announced that Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Limited had made an investment of $40.4 million in the company through the issue of 83,095,592 fully paid ordinary shares and 34,549,598 unlisted options.
The mining giant has now chosen to increase its shareholding to 19.9% via an additional investment of A$700,000 in Sovereign.
This pilot phase continues to progress with oversight from the Sovereign-Rio Tinto Technical Committee.
About the trial
The Kasiya orebody's homogeneous saprolite-hosted mineralisation, confirmed by the 1.8 billion tonnes mineral resource estimate, requires no drilling, blasting, crushing or grinding before processing.
A temporary water storage pond, filled with six million litres of groundwater, will support the hydraulic mining trial.
Equipment has been mobilised and the hydraulic mining process will replicate plant conditions, providing essential data for the ongoing optimisation study.
Land rehabilitation is a key focus, with Sovereign aiming to restore mined land to conditions that meet or exceed current agricultural yields.
This pilot phase will demonstrate successful land rehabilitation to local communities while also refining excavation and backfill techniques.
Read more on Proactive Investors AU
