Element 25 has cleared the final hurdle in its plans to expand the Butcherbird manganese mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
With the all clear from the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), the Butcherbird expansion project is set to commence, with construction to begin on an expanded processing facility.
Element 25 will target the production of 1.1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of manganese concentrate through the expansion.
According to a feasibility study released this year, the Butcherbird manganese mine is expected to generate an average of $70.5 million of cash flow per year through the expansion. The mine life is set to span almost two decades, positively contributing to the community and local and national economies.
All access agreements and approvals required for stage one of the operation are in place, such as water abstraction, heritage clearances, Native Title and pastoral agreements.
Manganese concentrate produced from Butcherbird will feed a planned battery-grade high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) processing facility in Louisiana, US.
With partnerships with General Motors LLC and Stellantis N.V. as well as strong backing from the US Government’s Department of Energy, the HPMSM project is expected to feed downstream industries and eventually be used a material in lithium-ion batteries.
The US Government awarded Element 25 $US166 million to assist in the construction of the HPMSM facility, which is expected to produce around 65,000 tonnes of HPMSM per year.
Element 25 will also supply customers in the manganese alloy and steel industries, making Butcherbird manganese concentrate accessible and readily available to these industries.
Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
