TSX-listed Giyani Metals has successfully shipped its first samples of high-purity manganese oxide (HPMO) from its demonstration plant in Johannesburg to multiple potential offtakers for testing and qualification—marking a significant step forward in the development of its commercial-scale battery-grade manganese project in Botswana.
HPMO serves as a precursor for producing high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM), with production of HPMSM targeted for Q3 2025, followed by offtake qualification trials.
Both HPMO and HPMSM are essential for manufacturing next-generation electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) batteries, including lithium-manganese-iron-phosphate (LMFP), lithium-manganese-nickel-oxide (LMNO), and nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistries.
While HPMSM is typically preferred for NMC batteries, Giyani highlights that both materials are gaining relevance as new battery chemistries increasingly favour higher manganese content, offering the company flexibility and competitive positioning.
The demonstration plant is key to de-risking the company’s future commercial operation in Botswana, as scaling from lab to demo plant is the most critical hurdle in process validation.
According to Giyani, it is one of the few companies outside of China to have reached this level of development and the only one known to have built a demo plant at such scale.
The company reports several positive outcomes from the demo plant’s commissioning and ongoing optimisation:
Enhanced process knowledge at scale to inform commercial plant design
Cleaner HPMO production with reduced emissions and tailings
Identification of a valuable new by-product
These learnings have led to updates in the project timeline:
HPMSM production is now expected in Q3 2025
Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) completion is planned for Q1 2026
Commercial plant construction is set to begin in 2027, with production ramp-up from 2028/29
CEO Charles FitzRoy praised the demo plant team’s efforts, noting that the shipment of HPMO is a milestone that validates the project and allows off-taker testing to begin.
“As battery manufacturers like Ford and GM move towards manganese-rich formulations, Giyani is positioned to meet that future demand with flexibility in both HPMO and HPMSM production,” FitzRoy stated.
“These developments, along with growing interest from stakeholders, reinforce our confidence in delivering a leading manganese project in Botswana.”
