Australia-listed miner Firebird Metals announced on Tuesday the receipt of the environmental permit for its battery-grade manganese sulphate plant in Jinshi, in China’s Hunan province.

This is the second of the three critical permits required for this project. The third, an energy permit, is expected in the coming weeks. It was previously expected at the end of June.

The first and most critical one, the safety permit, was received in May, Kallanish notes.

Firebird says in a statement that it will make the final investment decision (FID) once the third permit is secured by year-end. Then, it plans to immediately start construction. The process is expected to take 12-15 months and the operations are slated to begin in late 2025. 

The plant will process manganese from Western Australia into cathode materials for lithium iron manganese phosphate (LMFP) batteries, primarily targeting the Chinese market. In Stage 1, it will produce 50,000 tonnes/year of manganese sulphate and 10,000 t/y of manganese tetroxide. Production of battery-grade manganese sulphate is set to reach 300,000 t/y during Stage 2.

Receiving the environmental permit demonstrates the significant environmental benefits derived from operating within circular industries in China, the company claims.

As part of its waste processing, up to 100% of leach residue from the high-purity manganese sulphate process in China will be supplied for cement production. Firebird has signed MOUs with several cement companies, including Badao Cement Plant and Hunan Changde Southern Cement. 

“The speed at which the company is progressing in China is testament to the significant levels of support we have had and continue to receive from the Jinshi government,” comments managing director Peter Allen.

According to institute QYResearch, the global battery-grade manganese sulphate market sales reached $391 million in 2023 and is expected to reach $1.15 billion in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.9% during 2024-2030.