Interview with Sapan Ghai, CCO of Sovereign Metals Ltd.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/sovereign-metals-asxsvm-building-bigger-better-with-new-ops-team-4972

Recording date: 7th May 2024

Sovereign Metals (ASX:SVM) is an emerging critical minerals company focused on developing its flagship Kasiya project in Malawi into a globally significant source of natural rutile and flake graphite. With the world's largest rutile deposit and second largest graphite reserve, Kasiya is a strategic asset of immense scale and quality, well-positioned to address growing demand from the titanium pigment and lithium-ion battery markets.

The company recently delivered a robust Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) that positions Kasiya to be the world's largest and lowest-cost producer of both rutile and graphite. Annual production is forecast at 222kt of rutile and 244kt of graphite over an initial 25-year mine life, with significant expansion potential. The project's NPV was estimated at US$1,605M (post-tax), with a low 4.3 year payback period and sector-leading operating margins.

Sovereign's strategic partnership with global mining leader Rio Tinto provides a strong endorsement of Kasiya's potential. With an experienced management team and Rio's financial backing, the company is well-funded to advance the project through the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) stage, targeted for completion by the end of 2024.

On the rutile front, Sovereign is set to capitalize on growing pigment demand and the ongoing structural supply deficit. Kasiya is the only major rutile deposit in development globally, and its low-cost profile positions it to displace higher-cost supply.

Graphite is an equally compelling opportunity, with exponential demand growth forecast as the EV revolution accelerates. Kasiya's unique saprolite-hosted mineralization allows for low-cost production of a premium 97% graphite concentrate, with very low impurities suitable for the battery anode supply chain. Recent test work has confirmed the commercial quality of Sovereign's graphite, paving the way for binding offtake contracts.

With a current resource supporting a multi-decade operation, exploration upside to further expand the asset base, and the optionality of titanium metal production via an innovative metallurgical process, Sovereign's growth runway is significant. Key upcoming catalysts include infill and extensional drilling results, completion of the DFS, and conversion of offtake MoUs to binding contracts.

Yet despite its world-class asset and industry-leading cost profile, Sovereign's market valuation remains at a steep discount to the project's NPV, with the company trading at just 0.2x its PFS valuation. As the company de-risks Kasiya and transitions towards production, the opportunity for a significant re-rating is clear. For investors seeking exposure to the clean energy transition and critical minerals thematic, Sovereign Metals is an undervalued name with multi-bagger potential.

View Sovereign Metals' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/sovereign-metals

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