Manganese's Battery Hill ore sorting shows grade boost

Executive Summary

• Manganese X Energy Corp. reported an 80 % increase in mill‑feed grade from its Phase 2 ore‑sorting pilot at Battery Hill, indicating a substantial upgrade of manganese concentration.
• The pilot processed >400 kg of rock on full‑scale production equipment, demonstrating that feed grades of 10–15 % Mn are achievable and that waste removal can be performed across 10 mm to 100 mm size fractions.
• Management projects the technology will lower both capital expenditures and operating costs, improve project economics (NPV/IRR), reduce energy, water use and tailings, and support a more favorable prefeasibility study slated for Q3 2025.

Key Details

• Pilot Scope: Conducted at Rados Technologies lab (South Africa) on >400 kg of Battery Hill material; sample split into two size fractions and tested on full‑scale ore‑sorting equipment supplied by ABH Engineering Inc.
• Grade Improvement: Mill feed grade increased by 80 % versus the original mined material; potential mill feed grades of 10 %–15 % Mn achievable with the pilot setup.
• Size Range Effectiveness: Positive results consistently observed for feed sizes between 10 mm and 100 mm.
• Process Benefits: Waste rock removal and pre‑concentration enable higher‑grade feed, allowing a smaller processing facility to produce more metal, lower per‑tonne production costs, and create low‑grade stockpiles for high upgrade ratios.
• Economic Impact: Projected reductions in capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenditures (OPEX), improved project NPV and IRR, decreased energy and water consumption, reduced tailings storage, and lower environmental impact.
• Future Plans: Results will be incorporated into the upcoming Battery Hill Prefeasibility Study (PFS) scheduled to commence in Q3 2025; ongoing discussions with lead consultants on integration of ore‑sorting technology.
• Quotes:
• CEO Martin Kepman: “We are highly encouraged by the results… increasing mill feed grade, ore sorting is projected to positively impact capex, opex and production cost per tonne.”
• Brent Hilscher (ABH Engineering VP): “The Manganese X results are an excellent example of what we call a clean sort… The impact of higher mill feed grade on project economics can be profound.”

Notable Quotes

“With higher‑grade feed, a smaller facility can produce more metal while the ability to create low‑grade stockpiles enables very high upgrade ratios and maximizes resource utilization.” – Martin Kepman, CEO

Materiality Assessment: Material – Positive (significant operational advancement with clear economic implications for upcoming prefeasibility study).