Kenmare Resources plc has been awarded the 2025 Gold Standard Award for Excellence in Transparency, the highest distinction granted by the Extractive Sector Transparency Index (ITSE). The award recognizes the company’s exemplary and consistent performance over the years, making it a benchmark for best practices in public disclosure within the sector.
The distinction was presented during the 5th edition of the ITSE ceremony, held on Wednesday (22) in Maputo, where other companies with notable performances were also honored. Sasol Petroleum Temane secured first place in the overall ranking with a score of 73.68%, rated “Good,” standing out for its transparency in the Social and Environmental categories.
Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) took second place with 73.24%, thanks to a balanced performance across all assessed dimensions, while Twigg Exploration & Mining, Lda ranked third with 62.40%, supported by a strong commitment to corporate governance and social impact. During the event, Sasol Petroleum Temane also received the Special Award for Environmental Transparency, being recognized as the best-performing company in this critical sector category.
On the other hand, Vulcan Resources was identified as the least transparent entity of the year, receiving the 2025 Fossil of Opacity Award. This negative distinction aims to draw attention to the stagnation and resistance to public disclosure of information considered essential for good natural resource governance.
The index also awarded Sasol an Honorable Mention for “Quantum Leap in Transparency”, acknowledging the company’s remarkable qualitative progress in 2025 — both in its overall score and institutional approach. This recognition comes at a time when Mozambique’s extractive sector faces increasing public scrutiny.
According to the Center for Public Integrity (CIP), the overall transparency index for extractive sector companies averaged only 17.98%, with the fiscal component showing the weakest performance. Economist and CIP researcher Rui Mate emphasized that “without balance among the different dimensions, a company cannot be considered truly transparent.”
“The ITSE acts as a mirror for regulators and the public. It shows where the problems lie and who is performing well,” the expert added, stressing that “transparency must become a standard practice, not an exception.”
The transparency index is promoted annually by the CIP to monitor and encourage voluntary information disclosure by extractive industry companies, based on international standards and best practices in corporate transparency.
More than an isolated achievement, Kenmare’s recognition aligns with a strategic phase in its operations in Mozambique. The company is currently negotiating the renewal of its Implementation Agreement with the Government, while achieving significant operational progress at the Moma mine in Nampula.
With rising production and continued investment in modernizing its infrastructure — including new dredges and improved concentration plants — Kenmare reaffirms its position as a model of performance and transparency in Mozambique’s mining sector.
Text: Felisberto Ruco
