Firebird Metals (ASX:FRB) is well-positioned to develop a new manganese mining operation in Western Australia with a strategy to become a global battery cathode producer supporting a rapidly expanding electric vehicle market. Firebird owns a massive manganese resource in Western Australia's Pilbara region in the form of its flagship Oakover project which houses an estimated 176.65 million tons (Mt) of manganese across several different targets. Because of Oakover's favourable geology, Firebird can potentially leverage Oakover to supply not just the battery market but also multiple other industries, such as steel, all through a low-cost, simple mining operation.

Firebird's long-term strategy reaches far beyond Australia's borders, however. From mining to downstream processing, the company's vision is to become a global cathode producer. For that, Firebird is looking to China, which to date accounts for roughly 90 percent of global manganese sulphate demand.

In early September 2023, the company announced its plans to establish a processing plant in China, noting to investors that an in-house scoping study was already well underway. According to Firebird's managing director Peter Allen, the construction of this plant represents the next phase of major growth for Firebird. As with the rest of Firebird's operations, this new plant will be constructed with the company's ESG methodology front of mind, ensuring transparency and accountability in addition to human welfare, support for local communities and environmental sustainability.

Company Highlights

• An Australian junior exploration company, Firebird Resources is well-positioned to take advantage of the growing demand for manganese as the rapidly expanding electric vehicle market and global electrification continue to ramp up.
• Firebird maintains ownership of a massive manganese resource in Australia with significant growth potential.
• A recent concentrate scoping study confirmed the potential and profitability of the company's flagship project, Oakover, situated in Western Australia's Pilbara region.
• Firebird's long-term goal involves leveraging its manganese resource to position itself as a leading global producer of manganese sulphate for the battery industry.
• The company is currently embarking on a scoping study with plans to build a manganese sulphate plant in China. This will allow it to gain a foothold in the Chinese market, which currently accounts for 90 percent of global manganese sulphate demand.
• This study represents the next phase of major growth for Firebird, and is a significant part of the company's overall strategy to establish itself as a near-term producer of battery-grade high-purity manganese sulphate.

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