- Plant built to produce high-specification manganese
- Next is production of battery-grade manganese later this year
TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
Giyani Metals Corporation’s Johannesburg-based demonstration plant that is designed for battery-grade manganese production is now in the commissioning phase, the company has announced.
The plant – which is a key component of the company’s K.Hill Battery-Grade Manganese Project in Botswana – aims to supply the electric vehicle (EV) market with high-purity manganese.
The demo plant, built to showcase Giyani’s ability to produce consistent, high-specification manganese, recently achieved the first milestone of successful control room activation.
Off-take partners
This enables the plant team to operate the facility in a controlled environment, crucial for meeting off-take partners’ stringent requirements. The next major achievement expected is the initial production of battery-grade manganese later this year, setting the stage for commercial production by 2025.
“The Demo Plant represents a significant advancement for Giyani,” said Charles FitzRoy, President and CEO of Giyani Metals. “This phase will allow us to demonstrate our capability to supply the EV battery market with a superior product.”
Innovation and sustainability
Equipped with a continuous processing feature, the plant allows the team to run the production at a steady state, optimising both quality and operational efficiency. The plant’s on-site laboratory will further enable quality control, ensuring a reliable, consistent product essential for client specifications.
By designing the plant as a smaller-scale model of the proposed commercial facility in Botswana, Giyani aims to minimise carbon emissions and production costs. This setup will also serve as a valuable testing ground to refine processes for the planned large-scale commercial facility, anticipated to commence in 2027.
Future Steps and market potential
The demonstration plant is expected to produce up to 600 kilogrammes of high-purity manganese (HPSMM) by the fourth quarter of 2024. Once achieved, this milestone will significantly bolster Giyani’s reputation in the EV supply chain.
With manganese identified as a critical mineral in EV batteries, Giyani’s initiative is well-timed to capture a share of this growing market.
FitzRoy emphasised the strategic importance of this development, stating “Our demo plant is not just a facility; it’s a foundation for Giyani’s trajectory to become a leading producer of battery-grade manganese.”