Giyani Metals Corp. (TSXV:EMM, GR:A2DUU8)
("
Giyani" or the "
Company"),
developer of the K.Hill Battery-Grade Manganese Project in Botswana
("
K.Hill" or “
the Project”), is
pleased to announce an update on construction at the Demonstration
Plant (“
Demo Plant”).
Highlights:
-
Construction at the Demo Plant in Johannesburg has been
accelerating following completion and drawdown on the US$26 million
funding package (see April 24, 2024 news release).
-
Demo Plant construction is progressing as planned, with key
contractors mobilized and over 60 engineers and technicians now
active full-time at the site.
-
The first two modular process skids (“Process
Modules”) have been installed which have enabled the
crystallizer units to be fitted out with pumps and other
components. The reagent make-up and water system Process Modules
will be moved into position shortly.
-
Work is also continuing offsite at fabricator premises with the
remaining Process Modules being assembled prior to being
transported and then installed at the demonstration plant.
-
Simulation test work has commenced on the Yokogawa Distributed
Control System (“DCS”) software that will be used
to operate Giyani’s Demo Plant capable of continuously operating.
The ability to continuously operate at this pre-commercial scale
will allow Giyani to understand how the Commercial Plant will
respond ahead of construction, pre-emptively staying ahead of
anything that could arise during ramp-up.
-
The Project remains on track for commissioning and production of
battery-grade manganese (HPMSM), in Q4 2024 for offtaker testing
and qualification.
Process Module Installation
The Demo Plant will consist of nine Process
Modules, each a self-contained process system within an easily
transportable frame. The first two Process Modules are shown in
position below.
Figure 1: The First Two Process Modules
are now in Place
Danny Keating, President and CEO of the
Company, commented:
“Following the drawdown of funds from the IDC in
April, procurement and construction activities have accelerated
rapidly. The scale of the Demo Plant is exceptional and, once
constructed, it will be one of the largest battery-grade manganese
testing and optimization facilities in the world. The value of this
facility as a tool to optimize our proprietary flowsheet and reduce
operating costs will be immeasurable. The most important feature
will be that we will now be able to provide offtakers with tonnes
of product for testing, rather than providing samples measured in
grams. This level of production is not usually available until
commercial production is achieved, further de-risking the Project
for our partners and potential financiers.
Successful construction and operation of the
Demo Plant is a key catalyst to demonstrate the inherent value of
the Project to the market.”
Demo Plant Construction
Update
The development of the Demo Plant is progressing
with the main construction agreements for the civil, mechanical,
electrical and automation works having been signed and major
contractors and sub-contractors mobilized to site. The 15m (45ft)
crystallizer units have already been installed (see Figure 2) and
the supporting Process Modules are now also in place as shown in
Figure 1. Internal civil works have started to prepare the floor
areas for further unit installations.
The Demo Plant construction process has been
designed so that all parts follow a set order to aid construction
and commissioning, and in turn a speedy ramp-up to achieve on
specification product for the offtaker process, commencing in Q4 of
this year.
Figure 2: Crystallizer Installation in
2023
The Demo Plant is comprised of nine Process
Modules which form the anchor for the entire Demo Plant
construction. The Demo Plant is a 1:10 engineering scale of the
Commercial Plant, and 100m long as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Demo Plant Render
Installation of the main steam and ventilation
systems has commenced, in advance of the next Process Modules. The
detailed construction program takes advantage of sequential
mechanical, piping, electrical, and instrumentation installations
to allow the cold commissioning procedures to follow the sequence
in a highly efficient manner.
Figure 4: Installation of Control Room
Units and Preparation for Next Process Modules
The Process Modules in Figure 1 have enabled the
crystallizer units to be fitted out with pumps and components, and
the peripheral equipment Process Modules for the crystallization
process have been installed inside the plant in preparation for the
next Process Modules to be connected in a systematic way from that
unit moving progressively towards the mill area.
Figure 5: Close-up of Crystallizer
Process Module
The next Process Modules in the sequence
(reagent make-up and water systems) will be moved into position
shortly. These will supply reagents and water through the process
to achieve the final production of HPMSM to designed offtaker
specification.
Demo Plant Operations
Update
Giyani has now commenced simulation test work on
the Yokogawa DCS software that will be used to operate Giyani’s
fully continuous process facility. The ability to continuously
operate at this pre-commercial scale will allow Giyani to
understand how the Commercial Plant will respond ahead of
construction, minimizing issues that could arise during ramp-up.
Unlike a lab- or pilot-scale operation, a full, industrial control
system is required to operate this large-scale, automated,
hydrometallurgical plant.
The development of all process standard
operating procedures (“SOPs”) is well underway. As
the Demo Plant is a duplicate of the anticipated Commercial Plant,
the overall operating requirements and system requirements are very
similar. Alongside the engineering, commercial and research
benefits of the Demo Plant, the development of SOPs will assist in
a smooth transition to full-scale production.
Finalization of the design and contract for the
on-site, independent, ISO-certified, hydrometallurgical laboratory
is imminent. This laboratory, which includes ICP-OES and XRF
equipment, will allow full commercial-level metal accounting and
provide rapid assay turnaround times to enable effective operation
of the Demo Plant.
About Giyani
Giyani is focussed on becoming the dominant
western-world producer of sustainable, low carbon high purity
battery grade manganese for the electric vehicle
(“EV”) industry. The Company has developed a
proprietary hydrometallurgical process to produce High Purity
Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate (“HPMSM”), a
lithium-ion battery (“LIB”) cathode precursor
material critical for EVs.
The Company has secured US$26m in financing from
two strategic partners, ARCH Sustainable Resources Fund LP and the
Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, as it aims to
progress the K.Hill battery-grade manganese project in Botswana to
construction by building and operating the Demo Plant and
completing a Definitive Feasibility Study by H1 2025.
Additional information and corporate documents
may be found on www.sedarplus.ca and on Giyani Metals Corp. website
at https://giyanimetals.com/.
About the IDC
The Industrial Development Corporation of South
Africa is the largest development finance institution in
sub-Saharan Africa. The Corporation funds viable businesses to
build industrial capacity, thus contributing to the economic growth
in Southern Africa and the rest of the African continent. For more
information visit www.idc.co.za.
About ARCH
ARCH Sustainable Resources Fund LP are an
ESG-mandated, private equity fund focused on strategic, long-term
investments in natural resources and renewable energy.
Qualified Persons / NI 43-101
Disclosures
A National Instrument 43-101 (“NI
43-101”) technical report including results of the PEA and
the MRE can be found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and made
available on the Company's website at
https://giyanimetals.com/.
Mr. Justin Taylor CEng
FIMMM QMR B.Sc Eng (Chem) is a qualified person, as defined by NI
43-101. Mr. Taylor is the Company’s Group Process Engineer and has
reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content
contained in this news release but is not independent for the
purposes of NI 43-101.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani
Metals Corp.
Danny Keating, President and CEO
Contact:Tel: +1289-291-7632Danny Keating,
President & CEO dkeating@giyanimetals.com
Charles FitzRoy, Head of Corporate Development
& Strategycfitzroy@giyanimetals.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV")
nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in
the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy
or accuracy of this news release.
The securities described herein have not been
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws,
and accordingly, may not be offered or sold to, or for the account
or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. persons," as
such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S.
Securities Act ("U.S. Persons"), except in compliance with the
registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable
state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities to,
or for the account of benefit of, persons in the United States or
U.S. Persons.
Forward Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities
legislation. All statements in this news release, other than
statements of historical fact, that address events or developments
that Giyani expects to occur, are "forward-looking statements".
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words
"expects", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not
anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects",
"potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar
expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may",
"could", "should" or "might" occur.
Such statements include without limitation: the
Company the ongoing construction, commissioning and operation of
the Demo Plant, installation of additional Process Modules, design
and finalization of the lab, and timing thereof, completion and
timing of the DFS or at all.
All such forward-looking statements are based on
the opinions and estimates of the relevant management as of the
date such statements are made and are subject to certain
assumptions, important risk factors and uncertainties, many of
which are beyond Giyani's ability to control or predict.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and
assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results,
level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. In the case of Giyani, these facts include anticipated
operations in future periods, planned exploration and development
of its properties, and plans related to its business and other
matters that may occur in the future. This information relates to
analyses and other information that is based on expectations of
future performance and planned work programs.
Forward-looking information is subject to a
variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
which could cause actual events or results to differ from those
expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including,
without limitation: inherent exploration hazards and risks; risks
related to exploration and development of natural resource
properties; uncertainty in Giyani's ability to obtain funding;
commodity price fluctuations; recent market events and conditions;
risks related to the uncertainty of Mineral Resource calculations
and the inclusion of Inferred Mineral Resources in economic
estimation; risks related to governmental regulations; risks
related to obtaining necessary licences and permits; risks related
to Giyani's business being subject to environmental laws and
regulations; risks related to the Company's mineral properties
being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers, or
claims and other defects in title; risks relating to competition
from larger companies with greater financial and technical
resources; risks relating to the inability to meet financial
obligations under agreements to which they are a party; ability to
recruit and retain qualified personnel; and risks related to the
Company's directors and officers becoming associated with other
natural resource companies which may give rise to conflicts of
interests. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may
affect Giyani's forward-looking information. Should one or more of
these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying
assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially
from those described in the forward-looking information or
statements.
Giyani's forward-looking information is based on
the reasonable beliefs, expectations and opinions of the Company's
respective management on the date the statements are made, and
Giyani does not assume any obligation to update forward looking
information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations
or opinions change, except as required by law. For the reasons set
forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking information. For a complete discussion with respect
to Giyani and risks associated with forward-looking information and
forward-looking statements, please refer to Giyani's continuous
disclosure documents which are filed on SEDAR+ at
www.sedarplus.ca.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/699d08f7-aede-4ac9-a1e4-e47e9afe7ec2
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/850b1b81-f781-4883-a249-6526fa71c4ab
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b16f7817-82fd-4dbf-acda-a06cc07781d6
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3afff9a6-ef9b-408d-9d73-84b3e1095510
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