24 October 2024
Giyani Metals Corp (TSX-V:EMM, OTC:CATPF) has entered the commissioning phase of its Johannesburg-based Demonstration Plant, a key milestone for its K.Hill Battery-Grade Manganese Project in Botswana.
The Demo Plant is expected to produce up to 600 kilograms per day of high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate (HPMSM) by Q4 2024 for use in electric vehicle batteries.
Several major systems have been successfully commissioned, including the steam boiler, plant air supply, and demineralised water plant.
The company also installed the Yokogawa Distributed Control System (DCS), allowing for continuous process flow operations, which will enable Giyani to demonstrate consistent, steady-state production of battery-grade manganese to potential offtake partners.
Charles FitzRoy, President and CEO of Giyani, noted that the continuous operation of the Demo Plant will provide critical data for the company’s future commercial facility, which is planned for construction in Botswana by 2027.
“The results of this undertaking will yield significant strategic and operational benefits, and we look forward to providing further updates in due course,” FitzRoy said in a statement.
FitzRoy highlighted that this capability gives Giyani a competitive edge by ensuring steady production and consistent product quality—key factors for securing offtake agreements.
The Demo Plant, built at a 1:10 scale of the proposed commercial facility, will allow Giyani to reduce operational risks and optimise its process flowsheet. This includes efforts to lower reagent use and minimise the carbon footprint of production, which will be crucial for the commercial plant’s environmental and cost efficiency. The commercial facility will be located near Giyani’s 100% owned manganese oxide ore sources in southern Botswana.
In addition, Giyani is installing an ISO-certified laboratory at the Demo Plant site to test product quality in real time. The onsite lab will further ensure that Giyani’s HPMSM meets the stringent specifications required by future customers in the EV battery market.
The company is also working on a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), expected to be completed by 2025, which will assess the economics of the commercial facility.
Giyani plans to provide updates as the Demo Plant moves closer to full production by the end of 2024.
