Thursday, October 10, 2024

Giyani aspires to drive electric vehicle revolution in Botswana

Giyani Metals Corp, the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSXV) listed miner, jolted Botswana’s image as it announced its findings from Kanye that will probably accelerate the global electric vehicle battery revolution.

The site which is at Kgwakgwe Hill- in the south western outskirts of Kanye village- is has an indicated resource of 2.1 million tonnes of high grade manganese oxide – which is a material needed for lithium-ion batteries- that is used in electric vehicles.

“Our flagship K. Hill (Kgwakgwe Hill) manganese project has the potential to be one of the most significant and largest battery-grade manganese producers globally, chief executive of Giyani , Jonathan  Henry said in a statement.

“Giyani’s probable reserve grade of 18.9 percent manganese oxide is the highest among its listed battery –grade manganese peers and underpins a scalable operation with initial throughput of 200 thousand tonnes ore production per annum, offering potential future production capacity expansion,” the company said in its feasibility report.

Henry further stated that the demand for lithium-ion battries is expected to spike-up by 30 fold up to year 2036.

Giyani Metals has another manganese site at Otse village in the proximity of Lentswe La Baratani which was last mined at the beginning of the 20th Century. Prospecting is still ongoing there.

The latest development is expected to bolster Botswana’s position the in global industrialization as copper mines are also needed to aid the transition to electric vehicles.

Henry said the ongoing work has the potential of consolidating the project plan of the two sites with the aim of extending the life-span Kgwakgwe Hill beyond the projected 11 years.

“The K Hill orebody will be extracted in an open pit using a conventional truck-and –shovel mining method,” the company said.

The mine plan includes 8.5 years of mining with an additional 2.5 years of stockpile rehandling  and process,” it said  adding that in total will result in 11 years on mining. Giyani country manager, Elisa Kgomotso David said plans are afoot  to submit the Environmental  Assessment with the  appropriate authorities which will then be followed by the application for mining licence.

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