Latest Manganese Sulphate News

Firebird Metals is moving from manganese exploration towards downstream battery materials, with its Perth demonstration plant backed by a A$2 million ARENA grant. But the ASX-listed company remains loss-making, has A$3.61 million in cash and faces a material uncertainty over its ability to continue without further funding.

Element 25 has moved its Butcherbird manganese expansion from feasibility into project delivery, targeting mechanical completion and commissioning in the first quarter of calendar 2027. The company also strengthened funding and commercial support, although construction, financing conditions and the absence of FY2026 revenue leave execution as the central test.

Element 25 has started early site works at its Butcherbird Expansion Project in Western Australia, preparing the ground for a planned 1.1Mtpa manganese operation. The milestone shifts the project from planning towards physical construction, although the main construction package is yet to be awarded.

Trek Metals has secured a nine-month option to acquire the 154-claim Matrix Manganese Project in Arizona for a total potential cash consideration of A$200,000. The deal offers a low-cost route into a US critical-minerals opportunity, but carries a significant related-party consideration because CEO Derek Marshall owns about 66.67% of the vendor.

Element 25 has signed a binding AU$50 million NAIF facility agreement for its Butcherbird Expansion Project, replacing an earlier funding commitment with a contractual financing framework. The money is not yet available: financial close, first drawdown and other conditions precedent remain outstanding.

OM Holdings' subsidiary OM Materials has locked in a binding take-or-pay deal to purchase up to 1.1 million tonnes per annum of manganese concentrate from Element 25's Butcherbird Mine, underpinning Element 25's expansion and financing plans.

Element 25 has locked in a binding take-or-pay offtake agreement with OM Materials for 100% of manganese concentrate from its Butcherbird Expansion, underpinning project financing and targeting commissioning in early 2027.

Firebird Metals has secured a Perth site and placed all major equipment orders for its Australian Demonstration Plant, backed by a A$2 million ARENA grant. Independent testing confirms ultra-high purity manganese sulphate production, reinforcing its technology's potential.

Firebird Metals has validated its proprietary Lithium Manganese Rich (LMR) cathode materials, achieving discharge capacities on par with commercial references and significantly surpassing conventional LFP and high-nickel NCM cathodes. This milestone underscores Firebird's integrated battery materials strategy and sets the stage for advanced optimisation at its Australian Demonstration Plant.

Element 25 is on track to commission its Butcherbird manganese expansion in early 2027, while securing a substantial US Department of Energy grant to support its US battery materials facility.

Firebird Metals has achieved a key milestone under the ARENA Battery Breakthrough Initiative, unlocking a A$1 million non-dilutive payment and progressing site development for its Australian Demonstration Plant in Perth.

Element 25 is pushing ahead with its Butcherbird manganese mine expansion in Western Australia and developing a first-of-its-kind US high-purity manganese sulphate facility, backed by major OEM partnerships and a US$166 million DOE grant.