Name of the Project
K.Hill battery-grade manganese project.

Location
Botswana.

Project Owner/s
Battery metal development company Giyani Metals Corporation.

Project Description
K.Hill will be one of the biggest high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) projects in the world. HPMSM is a refined precursor material used in the production of cathode powders for lithium-ion batteries deployed in electric vehicles.

A preliminary economic assessment (PEA) published in July 2023 evaluates a base case scenario that considers a single production line with a feed capacity of 200 000 t/y to process high-purity manganese oxide (HPMO) material to produce HPMSM over a 57-year life-of-project (LoP). The LoP includes a 49-year life-of-mine plus 8 years of stockpile rehandling.

The PEA also evaluates an upside case, which assumes the construction of an additional production line from Year 5 of operations to increase total feed capacity to 400 000 t/y, reducing the LoP to 31 years.

The project includes a crushing facility, including a run-of-mine pad and stockpiles, a three-stage crushing plant and a crushed material bin. It also includes a processing area, including grinding, extraction, purification, fluoride polishing, crystallisation, product storage and handling; water treatment, reagent storage and tails handling; a sulphur dioxide plant; plant infrastructure and utilities, including steam and air plants; and low-voltage switch rooms.

A 4.5 MW solar plant covering 7.6 ha will be built 1.2 km west-northwest of the processing plant entrance gate. The large-scale demonstration plant that emulates the continuous process of the proposed full-scale K.Hill commercial plant is under construction in South Africa. The plant will validate the process flowsheet, mitigate commercial processing plant risk and facilitate offtake qualification.

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 $1.21-billion and an internal of return of 33%, with a payback period of two years.

Capital Expenditure
$282.64-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Construction of the commercial facility is planned to start in 2027, with production ramp-up from 2028/29.

Latest Developments
Giyani has completed the first shipment of HPMO samples, from its demonstration plant to multiple potential offtakers for testing and qualification.

Giyani has said the plant plays a crucial role in derisking the construction and operation of the full-scale commercial plant planned for Botswana.

Learnings from the commissioning of the demonstration plant, combined with ongoing optimisation work, have realised positive outcomes, including improved knowledge of the process at scale, which will be integral to the design and specification of the commercial plant, a considerable derisking function; the ability to generate a cleaner HPMO product and an associated reduction of waste (tailings) and emissions outputs; and the addition of a valuable new by-product.

Learnings from the plant operation to date and the resulting planned modifications have required changes to the project timeline.

The revised timeline for HPMSM production is now the third quarter of 2025 and the guidance for definitive feasibility study (DFS) completion is in the first quarter of 2026.

Construction of the commercial facility is planned to start in 2027, with production ramp-up from 2028/29.

The company has said this timeline strategically positions Giyani to meet the forecast demand increases for battery-grade manganese from 2028 onwards, as original-equipment manufacturers bring online higher manganese content batteries.

Meanwhile, the demonstration plant is continuing to meet important operational objectives, with the shipment of HPMO being a major accomplishment that significantly endorses the project and has allowed for Giyani to progress with offtaker testing.

In parallel, the company is continuing to progress towards production of HPMSM and realising the technological and product optionality that will afford Giyani significant advantages in a rapidly evolving battery market.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
SRK Consulting (feasibility study); Mintek (metallurgical testwork); Tetra Tech (metallurgical testwork programme); Wood (lead DFS consultant); and Minopex, a DRA Global Company (demonstration plant operation).

Contact Details for Project Information
Giyani Metals Corporation, email info@giyanimetals.com.