Name of the Project
Butcherbird Expansion (BBX) project.

Location
The project comprises eight known manganese mineral resources in an estimated 600 km2 of the southern Pilbara region, in Western Australia.

Project Owner/s
Manganese developer Element 25 (E25).

Project Description
Butcherbird comprises eight known manganese mineral resources.

The project is based on the extraction and processing of the Yanneri Ridge and Coodamudgi mineral resources and reserves. 

It builds on additional resource delineation conducted in June 2024 and an updated mineral resource estimate completed in October 2024, which increased measured and indicated resources at the deposits. 

The project, with an 18.3-year life-of-mine, will use 87% of measured resources and 77% of indicated resources within the Butcherbird resource base. 

The project proposes the expansion of the operation to 1.1-million tonnes a year of manganese concentrate. 

It will use expanded opencut mining methods, a modified primary comminution circuit and a dense-media separation back-end solution to optimise grade and recoveries.

The concentrate production strategy complements and enhances E25’s plan to develop a proposed high-purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM) plant, in Louisiana, in the US, to supply offtake partners General Motors and Stellantis with HPMSM for electric vehicle battery cathodes.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a pretax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of A$561-million and an internal rate of return of 96%, with a payback of 1.3 years.

Capital Expenditure
A$64.8-million, including contingency.

Planned Start/End Date
Expanded mining production and process commissioning are scheduled to start within 14 months from the final investment decision and securing project financing.

Latest Developments
Element 25 is progressing BBX, with engineering, contracting and funding activities advancing as the company works towards lifting manganese concentrate output to 1.1-million tonnes a year.

Lead engineer Altris Engineering has started detailed design work under an integrated project team model, with Element 25 engineers embedded in the Perth-based firm to accelerate optimisation studies and cost reviews. Early process-improvement work has already delivered potential savings and increased execution flexibility, the company has said.

Element 25 is targeting project construction once financing and long-lead procurement are completed. The company has secured core equipment for the expanded flowsheet, including primary and secondary mineral sizers from MMD and a 600 t/h logwasher from KISA, which is now ready for transport to site.

The mining services tender process is nearing completion, with a shortlist in place and final assessments under way.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Altris Engineering (lead engineer); MMD (primary and secondary mineral sizers); and KISA (logwasher).

Contact Details for Project Information
Element25, tel +61 8 6375 2525 or email admin@e25.com.au.