Firebird Metals Limited announced excellent results from a high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) test work program, completed on manganese ore from the Company's Oakover Project, located 85km East of Newman in the Eastern Pilbara region of Western Australia. The Company's maiden HPMSM metallurgical flowsheet development program has delivered impressive results from hydrometallurgical test work and importantly, confirmed that Oakover manganese ore can be processed into battery grade HPMSM for the burgeoning battery industry. Leaching test work feed material was generated from diamond drill core from all Oakover manganese ore domains of the Sixty Sixer, Jay-Eye and Karen deposits.

Multiple scouting leaching tests were completed on Oakover Mn feed, which had been crushed, screened and scrubbed, but not beneficiated further (ore sorted/DMS) and then ground to below 0.5 mm prior to leaching. The most recent scoping test program utilised combined selected pregnant leach solutions (PLS) obtained from the earlier leaching test work on Oakover ore. The PLS was subjected to a sequence of typical impurity removal steps, followed by crystallisation of crude manganese sulphate.

The crude manganese sulphate was then redissolved and recrystallised and washed to produce HPMSM crystals. High precision trace element analyses for typical impurity elements was conducted to determine impurity levels in the crystals and estimate the overall purity of >99.8% manganese sulphate monohydrate by difference. Levels of individual impurity elements listed in the Manganese Sulphate for Battery Materials Specification (HG/T 4823-2015) were all within specified limits.

Importantly, hydrometallurgical test work success is the first major step required for developing a process for production of HPMSM for the Battery Industry. Firebird will now prioritise ongoing process flowsheet development and optimisation studies to further enhance process design and product quality, along with completion of a high-purity manganese sulphate scoping study. The importance of manganese within the lithium-ion battery sector for use in electric vehicles continues to grow.

Manganese is an important element within the battery cathode industry and in particular, plays a critical role in NMC (Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt) batteries. It is estimated around 90kg of Manganese is used per average electric car (CPM Group). Electric vehicle and battery cathode manufacturers have expressed a desire to increase manganese content to improve battery and electric vehicle cost competitiveness, while maintaining energy density.

The growing electrical vehicle market and battery cathode changes will lead to greater demand and growth for HPSMM.