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
Despite offtaker qualification having only recently being started at the K.Hill project, CEO Charles FitzRoy has said there has already been considerable interest from interested parties.

He made the statement following Giyani’s delivery of its first shipment in May – from its Johannesburg, South Africa-based demonstration plant – of HPMO samples to multiple potential offtakers for testing and qualification.

Regarding financing partners for construction of the project, Giyani has received a letter of intent from Export-Import Bank of the United States for up to $225-million of long-term debt, with a repayment period of up to 15 years.

Giyani is also engaging with multiple other potential financing partners.

“Having the demonstration plant enables Giyani to produce sufficient product of . . . HPMO and HPMSM for the qualification process, which is a significant strategic advantage over our competitors,” FitzRoy has indicated.

The dual product offering provides Giyani with technological optionality, meaning the company is uniquely positioned to meet demand as battery chemistries continue to evolve and shape the market.

Further, battery chemistries are evolving and being upgraded to improve energy efficiencies, crucial to their uses and, as a result, are progressing towards higher manganese content, he has highlighted.

Meanwhile, challenges in developing the demonstration plant have been identified and worked through, thereby forming a critical part of the learning process FitzRoy has noted.

“Learning these now, prior to the construction of the commercial plant, has enabled Giyani to address any issues, saving time and costs further down the line, which is proving valuable during the definitive feasibility study (DFS), [which is] due for completion in the first quarter of 2026; it will also be invaluable for the commercial plant ramp-up from 2028,” he has said.

Giyani’s demonstration plant is the largest of its kind outside of China, and was built at a 1:10 scale relative to the planned Botswana commercial plant.

The plant’s advanced design and size provide a foundation for engaging potential offtake partners and offer advantages that smaller facilities cannot match.

“In particular, the demo plant has enabled our team to target steady-state operations over extended periods, consequently proving Giyani’s ability to produce battery-grade manganese and satisfy offtake qualification requirements,” he has stated.

Further, operating at a precommercial scale provides valuable insights into how the commercial full-size plant will perform, significantly derisking the project.

The lessons learned from the demonstration plant will inform the construction of the commercial facility, resulting in operational efficiencies and cost savings during the build phase, thereby ensuring a smoother, more successful ramp-up.

Giyani aims to start early works on the commercial plant in Botswana in 2026, with full-scale construction planned to start in 2027.

Ramp-up of the commercial plant to full production is targeted for 2028.

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.