Name of the Project
Butcherbird manganese expansion project.

Location
Southern Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Project Owner/s
Australia-based exploration company Element 25.

Project Description
Butcherbird hosts Australia’s largest onshore manganese resource, with more than 260-million tonnes currently delineated to a Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant resource level of detail, and further exploration upside. 

Element 25 released an updated feasibility study in January 2025 to increase the operation to 1.1-million tonnes a year of manganese concentrate production using expanded opencut mining methods, a modified primary comminution circuit and a dense-media separation back-end solution to optimise grade and recoveries. 

The mine plan has been designed to exploit the distinctive tabular structure of the mineral deposit at Yanneri Ridge and Coodamudgi, allowing for the establishment of an uncomplicated and cost-effective openpit mining approach.

The optimised final pit shapes for Yanneri and Coodamudgi pits provide for a mine life of 18.3-years at the planned production rate of 1.1-million tonnes of concentrate a year. The project will use 87% of measured resources and 77% of indicated resources within the Butcherbird resource base.

The concentrate production strategy complements and enhances Element 25’s plan to develop the 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 feasibility study shows a net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of A$561.7-million and 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
The feasibility study estimates expanded mining production and process commissioning to start within 14 months, followed by a one-month commissioning period, from the final investment decision and securing project financing.

Latest Developments
None stated.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Not disclosed.

Contact Details for Project Information
Element 25, tel +61 8 6375 2525 or email admin@e25.com.au.