Met63 will develop the plant to produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) samples that will be sent for testing.
Met63 has secured a USD 9.2 million design-build contract from Giyani Metals Corp., developer of the K.Hill battery-grade manganese project in Botswana, to construct a demonstration plant.
Met63
Met63 is a specialist hydrometallurgical engineering and consulting company with extensive experience in designing hydrometallurgical circuits specializing in advanced modular process plants for battery-grade metals.
Sample testing
The demo plant will produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) samples that will be sent for testing by lithium-ion battery manufacturers and automotive original equipment manufacturers.
Construction is anticipated to be completed by mid-2023. The contract covers engineering, construction and commissioning. The demo plant can produce up to 600 kg of dry HPMSM crystals per day depending on feedstock characteristics. It will be commissioned and operated at a construction site in Johannesburg before being relocated to Botswana.
Full commercial development
Giyani Metals CEO Robin Birchall said that the demo plant is a cornerstone of the company’s strategy for full commercial development. Its objectives are to validate the process flowsheet, derisk commercial development of K.Hill and facilitate off-take contracts with battery and OEM customers.
“Signing this contract with Met63 is another step towards production and first shipments of HPMSM in H2 2023,” concluded Birchall.