Giyani Metals Corp (TSX-V:EMM, OTC:CATPF) earlier this week announced that its Johannesburg demonstration plant is progressing through the commissioning phase and remains on track to produce its first high-purity manganese sulfate product this quarter.
The plant is a key component of Giyani's strategy to supply battery-grade manganese, a crucial material in the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Charles FitzRoy, CEO of Giyani Metals, told Proactive that the demo plant will produce up to 600 kilograms of high-purity manganese sulfate per day, enabling the company to conduct off-take testing and secure future supply agreements.
FitzRoy emphasized the plant’s importance in providing data for the company’s definitive feasibility study (DFS), which is ongoing, and in training staff ahead of the construction of a larger commercial facility in Botswana.
“We have just under 2000 square kilometres of licenses in Botswana, with multiple deposits, including K.Hill, which supplies the ore for our demonstration plant,” FitzRoy said.
The commercial plant, which is scheduled for production in 2026, will be ten times larger than the demonstration facility and will be located near Giyani's manganese oxide ore deposits in Botswana. This development positions the company to become a significant player in the battery materials supply chain, as demand for manganese sulfate continues to grow with the expansion of the EV market.
FitzRoy added that fine-tuning and optimization efforts at the demo plant will also reduce operational costs, ensuring the DFS remains cost-effective.
"The plant is progressing well, and we are now in the commissioning phase," he told Proactive, expressing confidence in the company's ability to meet its production targets.