Giyani Metals Corp (TSX-V:EMM, OTC:CATPF) has achieved first production of high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate, or HPMSM, from its demonstration plant in Johannesburg, a key step toward commercial-scale output for the battery materials developer.
The Toronto-listed company said the milestone, reached in September, marks the first time it has produced HPMSM at pilot scale.
The product will now be shipped to potential buyers for qualification trials, where it will be tested for consistency and suitability in battery applications.
HPMSM is a refined form of manganese used in lithium-ion batteries, particularly those powering electric vehicles.
The metal helps stabilize battery performance while lowering the need for more expensive materials such as cobalt and nickel.
Giyani, which is advancing its K.Hill battery-grade manganese project in Botswana, said the Johannesburg plant has been crucial for testing and refining its process design. The lessons from the pilot operation will be carried into the design of its full-scale commercial plant, the company said.
Chair Nigel Robinson called the achievement “a significant milestone for the company,” noting that the work at the demonstration plant had helped “inform the new optimized process flowsheet.
He said the next step will be incorporating those refinements into Giyani’s definitive feasibility study, a detailed technical and economic assessment of the project, which is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
Earlier this year, Giyani produced high-purity manganese oxide, another battery-grade product, confirming what it described as a “dual product offering” that could serve a wider range of next-generation battery chemistries.
Over the next six months, the company plans to continue product qualification with potential customers while finalizing the feasibility study.
Giyani said demand for high-purity manganese is expected to rise sharply over the coming years as electric vehicle and energy storage manufacturers look to use more manganese in their cathode materials. From 2028 onward, many new battery formulations are forecast to rely on higher manganese content for better stability and safety.
The K.Hill project, located in southeastern Botswana, is part of Giyani’s strategy to become a major Western supplier of low-carbon, battery-grade manganese.
The company says its proprietary hydrometallurgical process can produce material suitable for use in cathode precursors, the key building blocks of lithium-ion batteries.