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TORONTO, Jan. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giyani Metals Corp. (TSXV:EMM, GR:A2DUU8) ("Giyani" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed Tetra Tech for the concept design of a demonstration plant (the “Demo Plant”) that replicates to pilot scale the proposed hydrometallurgical process for its K.Hill Manganese Project (the “Project”) in Southern Botswana.
The purpose of the Demo Plant is two-fold. Firstly, the Demo Plant is expected to demonstrate that the K.Hill orebody is capable of achieving, at scale, the required commercial product specifications based on the proposed process flowsheet by providing sample product to potential end buyers for their supply chain testing and qualification process. Secondly, it will de-risk the Project through verification and optimisation of the process flowsheet and engineering design in support of the ongoing feasibility study (“FS”) and subsequent engineering work.
Two products will be produced from the Demo Plant; high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) and high-purity electrolytic manganese metal (HPEMM). These products will be produced to the specifications provided to Giyani by various precursor, cathode, and battery manufacturers to electric vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that Giyani has been in discussions with to date (collectively, the “Potential End Buyers”). The products will be selenium and chromium-free and will contain very low levels of deleterious impurities.
The Demo Plant will replicate the simple hydrometallurgical process proposed in the Project FS, for which Tetra Tech and Royal IHC have been acting as engineering consultants. Completion of their work is expected later in 2021.
Following guidance from the Potential End Buyers and Tetra Tech, the size of the Demo Plant will be built to produce at least 250 kg per day of contained manganese metal product. The size of the Demo Plant enables the Company to test the ore variability, as well as the conditions that the hydrometallurgical process will experience in a commercial scale plant. The Demo Plant will be operated in a series of campaigns to allow for trials and steady-state operation in various combinations of ore specifications and system configurations.
The concept design is expected to be completed later this quarter and will include the preparation of a cost estimate, as well as a project execution plan for the delivery, commissioning and operation of the Demo Plant in Botswana.
Robin Birchall, CEO of the Company commented:
"The operation of a demonstration plant will assist the offtake agreement negotiations with Potential End Buyers. With a $7.5m financing recently completed, the expected cost for the purchase and operation of the demonstration plant is fully funded which will allow us to progress to detailed engineering and fabrication quickly once the concept study has been completed.”
About Giyani
Giyani Metals Corp. is a mineral resource company focused on the development of its K.Hill, Lobatse & Otse manganese oxide projects in the Kanye Basin, Botswana, Africa. The Company's flagship K.Hill Manganese Project is a near-surface deposit currently going through a feasibility study to produce high-purity electrolytic manganese metal and manganese sulphate, both key cathode ingredients for batteries in the expanding electric vehicle (EV) market.
Additional information and corporate documents may be found on www.sedar.com and on Giyani Metals Corp. Website: https://giyanimetals.com/.
About TetraTech
Tetra Tech is a leading provider of high-end consulting and engineering services for projects worldwide. With 20,000 associates working together, Tetra Tech provides clear solutions to complex problems in water, environment, infrastructure, resource management, energy, and international development. For more information about Tetra Tech, please visit tetratech.com
Giyani appointed TetraTech, alongside SRK Consulting, in 2019 to produce the Preliminary Economic Assessment for the K.Hill Manganese Project. Both consultants have since been retained by the Company to produce K.Hill’s Feasibility Study, which is expected to be completed later in 2021.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani Metals Corp.
Robin Birchall, CEO