
May 13, 2024
Firebird Metals Limited (ASX: FRB, “Firebird” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce an update on the financing of its Stage 1 Battery Grade Manganese Sulphate Plant in China, which will utilise third party manganese ore to produce high-purity manganese sulphate.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Strong progress and ongoing support received from the Jinshi Government, China Construction Bank (Jinshi division) and leading chemical engineering contractor, China National Chemistry Southern Construction and Investment Co Ltd (“China Chemical”), for the development and construction of the Company’s Battery-Grade Manganese Sulphate Plant (“Plant”), to be located in the Jinshi High-Tech Industrial Park, Hunan Province
- Combined indicative and non-binding agreements (all at advanced stages) up to US$56M account for approximately 60% of the estimated financing requirements for Firebird to construct and commission its Plant:
- Non-binding indicative offer from China Construction Bank (Jinshi Division) to provide to a maximum of 50% of estimated plant CAPEX requirements of US$83.5 million (subject to conditions precedents), at very attractive terms, plus 70% of required estimated working capital of US$10.6 million;
- Non-binding agreement with China Chemical to provide up to 20% of construction and installation costs (approximately US$35 million) on a deferred payment basis, interest-free and repayable 12 months after the commencement of commercial production; and
- Binding Agreement with Jinshi local Government to receive a 62.5% rebate (totalling ~US$4.2 million) on the ~US$6.8 million land purchase. Rebate has been accounted within total CAPEX requirements
- Feasibility Study1 outlined a very low CAPEX of US$83.5 million and highly competitive OPEX of approximately US$609/metric tonne (mt) for battery grade manganese sulphate, underpinned by major competitive advantage of strategic location within the Chinese industrial ecosystem, which provides major cost-saving and operational synergies
- Firebird on track to make a Final Investment Decision in H2 2024, with a 12–15 month construction timeline, ahead of first production
- Once in production, Firebird is well placed to become one of the lowest cost manganese sulphate producers, at a time when the Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (“LMFP”) battery market is forecast to experience significant growth in coming years
- True underlying value and importance of Flagship Oakover Project (Western Australia), as a key future operation is clearly demonstrated by recent significant manganese supply disruptions. Oakover continues to be an integral part of Firebird’s long-term manganese battery materials strategy
Cautionary Statement
The Feasibility Study referred to in this announcement is a Technical Feasibility of the establishment of the Battery Grade Manganese Sulphate Project Stage 1 Processing Plant in China (the Plant). Please refer to ASX announcement dated 7/5/24 for full Feasibility Study details.
The Feasibility Study is based on the material assumptions contained in the Feasibility Study document which accompanied the announcement. This announcement and the Feasibility Study include assumptions about the availability of funding. While the Company considers all the material assumptions to be based on reasonable grounds, there is no certainty that they will prove to be correct or that the range of outcomes indicated will be achieved.
Notwithstanding the developments set out in this announcement, investors should note that there is no certainty that the Company will be able to raise the amount of funding to develop the Plant when needed. It is also possible that such funding may only be available on terms that may be dilutive to or otherwise affect the value of Company’s existing shares.
It is also possible that the Company could pursue other ‘value realisation’ strategies such as a sale, partial sale or joint venture of the Plant. If it does, this could materially reduce the Company’s proportionate ownership of the Plant. Given the uncertainties involved, investors should not make any investment decisions based solely on the results of the Feasibility Study.
Firebird Managing Director Mr Peter Allen commented: “We are extremely proud to announce these critical financing and construction agreements with the Jinshi Government, China Construction Bank (Jinshi division) and leading chemical engineering contractor China Chemical. Since announcing our plans to establish operations in China to produce high-purity manganese sulphate, we have been overwhelmed by the ongoing support and engagement from key stakeholders in China, led by the Jinshi Government, to ensure the Company has the resources required to deliver on our LMFP battery strategy. This strong in-country support has been a key contributor to the rapid growth we have delivered on the ground in China.
“I believe that Firebird is in a unique and extremely competitive position, as highlighted by our Feasibility Study, which showed a very low-capex pathway to establish operations in China in the next 18 months. Importantly, the study highlighted the significant cost, development and operational advantages of building a plant in China and the exciting opportunity to transition Firebird into producer status. The Company is well positioned to deliver on its strategy to become one of the lowest cost high-purity manganese sulphate producers when compared to existing Chinese producers and western peers.
“With approximately 60% of our financing requirements now at an advanced stage, we are steadily gaining strong momentum towards securing the necessary funds to build our plant. The value proposition and expedited market entry potential we anticipate in China are truly remarkable. Our progress underscores our commitment to swift and effective execution of our unique growth strategy.
“We are now planning a second investor site visit for mid-to-late June, following the success and feedback from the first visit in April. We are looking forward to demonstrating our key in-country advantages, Chinese Government support, speed to market opportunity and Chinese industrial ecosystem within the Jinshi High-Tech Industrial Park.
“We will continue to deliver on a busy pipeline of news at a time when the supply and demand fundamentals for manganese have never been stronger, particularly following the suspension of operations at Groote Eylandt. Timing is always critical, and we will be turning our Plant on at a time when the LMFP battery market is forecast to experience substantial and rapid growth, with the potential to become a >US$20 billion market by 2030.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Firebird Metals Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
FRB:AU
The Conversation (0)
27 September 2023
Firebird Metals
Overview
Firebird Metals (ASX:FRB) is an Australian mining company that’s 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.
Batteries currently represent the largest non-alloy market for manganese, accounting for roughly 3 percent of global annual manganese consumption. The metal has a long history of being used as a cathode material in batteries, both in its natural form and in the form of electrolytic manganese dioxide. That includes modern lithium-ion batteries, the supply and manufacturing chain for which could potentially grow by over 30 percent annually from now through 2030.
Manganese-rich batteries are increasingly being held up as an alternative to standard lithium-ion batteries, leading to an expected exponential demand for the mineral. Tesla alone has already committed to producing manganese-based batteries for two thirds of its supply, owing to the metal's relative abundance and lower cost compared to nickel and cobalt.
Lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) represents one of the most prominent phosphate battery configurations. In recent years, however, the business case for using manganese as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, known as lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP), has become stronger. LMFP not only improves the battery’s energy density, but also increases capacity by up to 20 percent. LMFP batteries also perform better in low-temperature environments.
As LFP rapidly nears its theoretical energy density capacity, the rise of LMFP batteries as a replacement is all but inevitable as the world continues its slow march towards electrification and sustainable energy. Consequently, this means that demand for battery-grade manganese is set to explode in the coming years. And Firebird Metals is more than ready to step in and provide some much-needed supply.
Firebird maintains ownership over a massive manganese resource in Western Australia's Pilbara region in the form of its flagship Oakover project. Characterised by near-surface mineralisation, Oakover 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.
The end result? Significant returns for investors — a projection only further emphasised by the impressive results returned by a recent concentrate scoping study on the project. Firebird maintains several other projects in Australia as well, including the Oakover-like Hill 616 and the exploration-focused Wadanya.
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.
This plan, should it proceed apace, has the potential to make an enormous impact on global manganese supply — all while positioning Firebird as a cost-competitive player in the manganese sulphate market and a promising investment opportunity.
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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