VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Euro Manganese Inc. (TSX-V and ASX: EMN; OTCQX: EUMNF; Frankfurt: E06) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the successful production of high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate ("HPMSM") from the dissolution and crystallization module at the Chvaletice Demonstration Plant ("DP") in the Czech Republic. Two independent external laboratories have confirmed samples sent for testing have met the Demonstration Plant target specifications for HPMSM with low levels of impurities.
This follows the rectification of the manufacturing fault in the crystallizer, reported in August 2023, and additional impurity issues introduced by reagents used within the dissolution and crystallization module. These issues have now been resolved and have provided valuable insight into the production of on-spec HPMSM. Third-party high-purity electrolytic manganese metal ("HPEMM"), with similar product impurity levels to those of the Chvaletice HPEMM product, was used as feedstock during the commissioning of the dissolution and crystallization module. As part of the final commissioning stages of the DP, the Company will use HPEMM produced from the DP electrowinning circuit for HPMSM production.
Euro Manganese’s Demonstration Plant is an essential step in reducing risk in the Company’s flowsheet (see Figure 1). In addition, it also allows the Company to:
- Produce bulk samples, at much larger scale than pilot plant samples, for prospective customers’ testing and qualification. This will reduce the timeline to test products from the Chvaletice Commercial Plant in the future.
- Prepare intermediate process stream and residue samples as required for vendor testing of process equipment for the commercial plant, thereby allowing process guarantees on selected vendor packages.
- Serve as a testing and training facility. The Demonstration Plant has already provided many learning opportunities and lessons that are being fed into the engineering process for the commercial plant.
- Produce by-product samples for testing and potential marketing of such by-products, e.g. magnesium carbonate.
- Test potential additional feedstock for the commercial plant, e.g., manganese by-product from recycled battery black mass processing.
Figure 1 - Chvaletice Process Flow Sheet
Dr. Matthew James, President & CEO of Euro Manganese, commented:
“Producing high-purity manganese sulphate from our Demonstration Plant is a significant milestone for the Company. HPMSM is an almost pharmaceutical grade product and specification of impurities is tight. While this result has taken longer than planned, the insight gained is leading to engineering and operational process improvements and awareness, which is why having a Demonstration Plant is so important in project development. I am immensely proud of the Team for their hard work and dedication in reaching on-spec purity for manganese sulphate.
Euro Manganese continues to demonstrate it is a leader in developing western high-purity manganese processing capacity. I look forward to providing customers with high-purity manganese from our Demonstration Plant so they can either get started on, or continue with, their qualification process of our products.”
About Euro Manganese
Euro Manganese is a battery materials company focused on becoming a leading producer of high-purity manganese for the electric vehicle industry. The Company is advancing development of the Chvaletice Manganese Project in the Czech Republic and exploring an early-stage opportunity to produce battery-grade manganese products in Bécancour, Québec.
The Chvaletice Project is a unique waste-to-value recycling and remediation opportunity involving reprocessing old tailings from a decommissioned mine. It is also the only sizable resource of manganese in the European Union, strategically positioning the Company to provide battery supply chains with critical raw materials to support the global shift to a circular, low-carbon economy.
Euro Manganese is dual listed on the TSXV (TSX Venture) and the ASX and is also traded on the OTCQX.
Qualified Person(s) Statement
The technical information in this news release was prepared under the supervision of Ms. Andrea Zaradic, P. Eng., a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Ms. Zaradic has reviewed and approved the information in this news release for which she is responsible and has consented to the inclusion of the matters in this news release based on the information in the form and context in which it appears.
Authorized for release by the CEO of Euro Manganese Inc.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) or the ASX accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Inquiries
Dr. Matthew James
President & CEO
mjames@mn25.ca
Louise Burgess
Senior Director, Investor Relations & Communications
+1 (604) 312-7546
lburgess@mn25.ca
Company Address: #709 -700 West Pender St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6C 1G8
Website: www.mn25.ca
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company, its Chvaletice Project, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “predict” and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved.
Such forward-looking information or statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s intentions regarding the development of the Chvaletice Project in the Czech Republic; the Company using HPEMM produced from the DP electrowinning circuit for final commissioning of the DP; the ability of the Company to produce bulk samples of on-spec HPMSM from the DP for prospective customers’ testing and qualification; obtaining process guarantees on vendor packages; produce by-product samples for testing and potential marketing of such by-products; and the Company’s ability to test potential additional feedstock for the commercial plant.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company.
All forward-looking statements are made based on the Company's current beliefs including various assumptions made by the Company, including that: the Company can achieve its goals including the successful commissioning of the DP; that the political and community environment in which the Company operates in will continue to support the development and operation of the Company’s projects; and assumptions related to the factors set out herein. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, risks and uncertainties related to the availability of acceptable financing; the ability to produce HPEMM in sufficient quantities; delay in commissioning the DP; risks and uncertainties related to the ability to obtain, amend, or maintain necessary licenses, or permits; changes in laws or regulations; and regulation by various governmental agencies. For a further discussion of risks relevant to the Company, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form for the year ended September 30, 2022, available on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/731f12fa-d466-450c-9008-afaa59d3c5c2
