TSX-V-listed Giyani Metals, developer of the K.Hill battery-grade manganese project in Botswana, reports steady progress at its demonstration plant in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The plant is moving efficiently through the commissioning phase, aiming to produce high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate (HPMSM) by year-end.
Since October, the company has achieved several milestones, including the completion of dry commissioning (C2) for most systems—such as the complex crystallizer—and advancement to wet commissioning (C3).
This demo facility remains on track to begin HPMSM production by year-end, with the initial output designated for offtaker qualification.
A key feature of Giyani’s demo plant is its continuous process flow capability, which enables steady-state operations and consistent production of HPMSM. This consistency is critical for meeting the stringent specifications of potential offtake partners.
Near completion is an ISO-certified independent laboratory on-site, essential for offtake testing. This lab allows continuous quality assurance, enabling the team to make necessary adjustments and ensure the HPMSM meets the strict criteria of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for high-purity battery-grade manganese.
Designed as a scaled-down replica of the commercial plant planned for Botswana, the demo facility is expected to significantly reduce risks by offering insights into the full-scale operation’s behavior before construction and ramp-up, targeted for 2027.
The future commercial plant will be located near Giyani’s 100%-owned manganese oxide ore sources in southern Botswana.
The demo plant is also pivotal for finalizing the engineering design and flowsheet, aiming to optimize operational costs and reduce carbon emissions. This process runs alongside the definitive feasibility study, set for completion in 2025.
Giyani’s CEO, Charles FitzRoy, noted that the company recently hosted the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, its partner in the $16-million facility, to demonstrate the progress achieved.
“The demo plant results will provide significant strategic and operational insights and are a crucial step in Giyani’s mission to become a leading producer of high-purity battery-grade manganese for the electric vehicle battery market,” he said.
