Giyani Metals Corp. announced an update on construction at the Demonstration Plant ("Demo Plant"). Construction at the Demo Plant in Johannesburg has been accelerating following completion and drawdown on the USD 26 million funding package.

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 Fourth Quarter 2024 for offtaker testing and qualification. The Demo Plant will consist of nine Process Modules, each a self-contained process system within an easily transportable frame. 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 and the supporting Process Modules are now also in place. 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 fourth quaretr of this year.

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. 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. 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.

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.