TORONTO, June 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Giyani Metals Corp. (TSXV:EMM, GR:A2DUU8) (“Giyani” or the “Company“), developer of the K.Hill Battery-Grade Manganese Project in Botswana (“K.Hill” or “the Project”), is pleased to announce an update on construction at the Demonstration Plant (“Demo Plant”).

Highlights:

• Construction at the Demo Plant in Johannesburg has been accelerating following completion and drawdown on the US$26 million funding package (see April 24, 2024 news release).
• Demo Plant construction is progressing as planned, with key contractors mobilized and over 60 engineers and technicians now active full-time at the site.
• The first two modular process skids (“Process Modules”) have been installed which have enabled the crystallizer units to be fitted out with pumps and other components. The reagent make-up and water system Process Modules will be moved into position shortly.
• Work is also continuing offsite at fabricator premises with the remaining Process Modules being assembled prior to being transported and then installed at the demonstration plant.
• Simulation test work has commenced on the Yokogawa Distributed Control System (“DCS”) software that will be used to operate Giyani’s Demo Plant capable of continuously operating. The ability to continuously operate at this pre-commercial scale will allow Giyani to understand how the Commercial Plant will respond ahead of construction, pre-emptively staying ahead of anything that could arise during ramp-up.
• The Project remains on track for commissioning and production of battery-grade manganese (HPMSM), in Q4 2024 for offtaker testing and qualification.

Process Module Installation

The Demo Plant will consist of nine Process Modules, each a self-contained process system within an easily transportable frame. The first two Process Modules are shown in position below.

Figure 1: The First Two Process Modules are now in Place

Danny Keating, President and CEO of the Company, commented:

“Following the drawdown of funds from the IDC in April, procurement and construction activities have accelerated rapidly. The scale of the Demo Plant is exceptional and, once constructed, it will be one of the largest battery-grade manganese testing and optimization facilities in the world. The value of this facility as a tool to optimize our proprietary flowsheet and reduce operating costs will be immeasurable. The most important feature will be that we will now be able to provide offtakers with tonnes of product for testing, rather than providing samples measured in grams. This level of production is not usually available until commercial production is achieved, further de-risking the Project for our partners and potential financiers.

Successful construction and operation of the Demo Plant is a key catalyst to demonstrate the inherent value of the Project to the market.”

Demo Plant Construction Update

The development of the Demo Plant is progressing with the main construction agreements for the civil, mechanical, electrical and automation works having been signed and major contractors and sub-contractors mobilized to site. The 15m (45ft) crystallizer units have already been installed (see Figure 2) and the supporting Process Modules are now also in place as shown in Figure 1. Internal civil works have started to prepare the floor areas for further unit installations.

The Demo Plant construction process has been designed so that all parts follow a set order to aid construction and commissioning, and in turn a speedy ramp-up to achieve on specification product for the offtaker process, commencing in Q4 of this year.

Figure 2: Crystallizer Installation in 2023

The Demo Plant is comprised of nine Process Modules which form the anchor for the entire Demo Plant construction. The Demo Plant is a 1:10 engineering scale of the Commercial Plant, and 100m long as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Demo Plant Render

Installation of the main steam and ventilation systems has commenced, in advance of the next Process Modules. The detailed construction program takes advantage of sequential mechanical, piping, electrical, and instrumentation installations to allow the cold commissioning procedures to follow the sequence in a highly efficient manner.

Figure 4: Installation of Control Room Units and Preparation for Next Process Modules

The Process Modules in Figure 1 have enabled the crystallizer units to be fitted out with pumps and components, and the peripheral equipment Process Modules for the crystallization process have been installed inside the plant in preparation for the next Process Modules to be connected in a systematic way from that unit moving progressively towards the mill area.

Figure 5: Close-up of Crystallizer Process Module

The next Process Modules in the sequence (reagent make-up and water systems) will be moved into position shortly. These will supply reagents and water through the process to achieve the final production of HPMSM to designed offtaker specification.

Demo Plant Operations Update

Giyani has now commenced simulation test work on the Yokogawa DCS software that will be used to operate Giyani’s fully continuous process facility. The ability to continuously operate at this pre-commercial scale will allow Giyani to understand how the Commercial Plant will respond ahead of construction, minimizing issues that could arise during ramp-up. Unlike a lab- or pilot-scale operation, a full, industrial control system is required to operate this large-scale, automated, hydrometallurgical plant.

The development of all process standard operating procedures (“SOPs”) is well underway. As the Demo Plant is a duplicate of the anticipated Commercial Plant, the overall operating requirements and system requirements are very similar. Alongside the engineering, commercial and research benefits of the Demo Plant, the development of SOPs will assist in a smooth transition to full-scale production.

Finalization of the design and contract for the on-site, independent, ISO-certified, hydrometallurgical laboratory is imminent. This laboratory, which includes ICP-OES and XRF equipment, will allow full commercial-level metal accounting and provide rapid assay turnaround times to enable effective operation of the Demo Plant.

About Giyani

Giyani is focussed on becoming the dominant western-world producer of sustainable, low carbon high purity battery grade manganese for the electric vehicle (“EV”) industry. The Company has developed a proprietary hydrometallurgical process to produce High Purity Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate (“HPMSM”), a lithium-ion battery (“LIB”) cathode precursor material critical for EVs.

The Company has secured US$26m in financing from two strategic partners, ARCH Sustainable Resources Fund LP and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, as it aims to progress the K.Hill battery-grade manganese project in Botswana to construction by building and operating the Demo Plant and completing a Definitive Feasibility Study by H1 2025.

Additional information and corporate documents may be found on www.sedarplus.ca and on Giyani Metals Corp. website at https://giyanimetals.com/.

About the IDC

The Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa is the largest development finance institution in sub-Saharan Africa. The Corporation funds viable businesses to build industrial capacity, thus contributing to the economic growth in Southern Africa and the rest of the African continent. For more information visit www.idc.co.za.

About ARCH

ARCH Sustainable Resources Fund LP are an ESG-mandated, private equity fund focused on strategic, long-term investments in natural resources and renewable energy.

Qualified Persons / NI 43-101 Disclosures

A National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”) technical report including results of the PEA and the MRE can be found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and made available on the Company’s website at https://giyanimetals.com/.

Mr. Justin Taylor CEng FIMMM QMR B.Sc Eng (Chem) is a qualified person, as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Taylor is the Company’s Group Process Engineer and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content contained in this news release but is not independent for the purposes of NI 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani Metals Corp.

Danny Keating, President and CEO

Contact:
Tel: +1289-291-7632
Danny Keating, President & CEO 
[email protected]

Charles FitzRoy, Head of Corporate Development & Strategy
[email protected]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”) nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or “U.S. persons,” as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act (“U.S. Persons”), except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company’s securities to, or for the account of benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Giyani expects to occur, are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects”, “does not expect”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “does not anticipate”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “budget” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could”, “should” or “might” occur.

Such statements include without limitation: the Company the ongoing construction, commissioning and operation of the Demo Plant, installation of additional Process Modules, design and finalization of the lab, and timing thereof, completion and timing of the DFS or at all.

All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of the relevant management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to certain assumptions, important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Giyani’s ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In the case of Giyani, these facts include anticipated operations in future periods, planned exploration and development of its properties, and plans related to its business and other matters that may occur in the future. This information relates to analyses and other information that is based on expectations of future performance and planned work programs.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation: inherent exploration hazards and risks; risks related to exploration and development of natural resource properties; uncertainty in Giyani’s ability to obtain funding; commodity price fluctuations; recent market events and conditions; risks related to the uncertainty of Mineral Resource calculations and the inclusion of Inferred Mineral Resources in economic estimation; risks related to governmental regulations; risks related to obtaining necessary licences and permits; risks related to Giyani’s business being subject to environmental laws and regulations; risks related to the Company’s mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers, or claims and other defects in title; risks relating to competition from larger companies with greater financial and technical resources; risks relating to the inability to meet financial obligations under agreements to which they are a party; ability to recruit and retain qualified personnel; and risks related to the Company’s directors and officers becoming associated with other natural resource companies which may give rise to conflicts of interests. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Giyani’s forward-looking information. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking information or statements.

Giyani’s forward-looking information is based on the reasonable beliefs, expectations and opinions of the Company’s respective management on the date the statements are made, and Giyani does not assume any obligation to update forward looking information if circumstances or management’s beliefs, expectations or opinions change, except as required by law. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. For a complete discussion with respect to Giyani and risks associated with forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, please refer to Giyani’s continuous disclosure documents which are filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

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https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/850b1b81-f781-4883-a249-6526fa71c4ab

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b16f7817-82fd-4dbf-acda-a06cc07781d6

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