As part of its feasibility study on Botswana’s K.Hill manganese oxide project, TSX-V-listed manganese developer Giyani Metals Corporation has completed increased metallurgical test work and final process flowsheet design through Mintek in South Africa.
Because this phase of testing does not involve crystallization, a professional engineering firm has been hired to conduct crystallization tests to complete the process flowsheet for the feasibility study and demonstration facility.
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Giyani will begin hiring an engineering firm to build the K.Hill manganese oxide project’s demonstration facility once the process flowsheet is finalized.
Giyani expects to execute a design-build contract for the demonstration plant after a peer evaluation of the process flowsheet. The unit is expected to be operational in the first half of 2022.
According to Giyani CEO Robin Birchall, the demonstration facility would generate roughly 250 kg of final high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate (HPMSM) product per day, which will be shared with potential clients for preliminary product testing.
Otse, Botswana
So far, 26 RC holes have been drilled at Otse South, near ancient mine workings and characterized by a northwest-southeast chargeability anomaly.
Almost every hole drilled thus far has revealed visible mineralization, validated by portable X-ray fluorescence investigation. The greatest results have been 48% manganese oxide at depths between 29.5 m and 36.5 m and 54% manganese oxide at depths between 18 m and 35.5 m.
He points out that Otse has a different type of mineralization than the K.Hill manganese oxide project and will not have the same uniformity, but that the high manganese oxide concentration will allow high-grade plant feed to be blended with lower-quality material to raise the average run-of-mine grade.
A total of 12 holes will be drilled at the southern target before the two drill rigs proceed to Otse North, which is also close to the old workings, according to Giyani.
This campaign should be finished within the next six weeks.
Meanwhile, Giyani has been in talks with a number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), other potential off-takers, and trade organizations regarding possible binding product purchase agreements in terms of commercial activity.
This is in reference to Giyani’s activities in Botswana, which can deliver more than 100 000 t of HPMSM for the production of lithium-ion battery cathodes.
In terms of the selling material, Giyani is now working directly with one of the world’s largest automakers on material evaluation, which includes the supply of representative samples.
In addition, Giyani has signed a nondisclosure agreement with a large potential European battery cathode maker to share further product details.
Giyani also announced that it had been accepted into the European Battery Alliance, which was founded in 2017 with the goal of developing a competitive and sustainable battery cell manufacturing value chain in Europe.
