Sovereign Metals appoints lead ESG officer; advances Kasiya environmental and social impact assessments

Sovereign Metals Ltd (ASX:SVM, OTC:SVMLF, AIM:SVML) has appointed highly experienced environmental and social specialist Marco Da Cunha, as its new lead Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) officer. 

Da Cunha has almost 20 years of experience in the field of environmental and social management, including more than a decade preparing environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) and environmental management plans for mining projects.

This appointment comes as the company advances Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) for the Kasiya Project in Malawi.

African experience

Da Cunha also has specialist experience in social impact assessments and management plans for large-scale mining, oil & gas and infrastructure projects, throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Recently, Da Cunha was part of Rio Tinto’s Simandou iron ore project team in Guinea. Simandou is the world’s largest undeveloped high-grade iron ore deposit, and its development will be the largest greenfield integrated mine and infrastructure investment in Africa. 

Da Cunha’s role at Simandou involved functioning as international support to the Simandou mine communities and social performance manager in Guinea, and the support and development of a social management strategy.

Setting the standard

Sovereign managing director Frank Eagar said: “Our ambition with the development of Kasiya is to set the global standard in climate-smart mining by bringing our low carbon footprint rutile and graphite products to market while realising real-world community and environmental benefits. 

“In order to achieve this, we have attracted the best talent and experience in the ESG field. Marco’s appointment has bolstered our owner team’s ESG capability bringing exemplary experience in environmental and social management for large-scale African mine development projects aligning and consolidating on the recent appointment of SocialEssence.” 

ESIA assessments to advance

Sovereign says that with the appointment of Da Cunha, the ESIA for its Kasiya rutile-graphite project will now advance. Sovereign previously completed site surveys by specialist environmental and social consultants in August 2021, May 2022, and October 2023, providing a solid basis from which to advance the ESIA. 

Kasiya’s ESIA will be undertaken in compliance with relevant Malawian legislation, regulations and standards, and aims to meet international guidelines and standards.