This report presents the mineral processing and metallurgical testing program supporting the Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Battery Hill Manganese Project in Woodstock, New Brunswick, with an effective date of 12 May 2022.
Report context
This technical report was prepared as a NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Battery Hill Manganese Project, Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada, with an effective date of 12 May 2022. The report consolidates mineral processing and metallurgical testwork conducted in multiple phases, including historical testwork, pre-2020 investigations, and a 2020-2021 testwork program.
Processing route
Historical Metallurgical Testwork
The report documents historical metallurgical testwork that established the foundation for subsequent processing development. This earlier work provided initial understanding of the ore characteristics and potential processing pathways.
Pre-2020 Testwork
Sample selection for pre-2020 testwork involved careful material sourcing to represent the deposit. Mineralogical testing using QEMSCAN was conducted to characterize the ore mineralogy. Diagnostic leach and purification testing examined the leaching behaviour and potential for manganese recovery. The National Research Council of Canada performed manganese upgrading and purification testing. Preliminary pre-concentration research included ore sorting testwork and tribo-electrostatic separation testing.
Flowsheet development testing encompassed bulk leaching and leach parameter testing to establish optimal conditions, vat leach testing to evaluate alternative leaching configurations, neutralization and solid-liquid separation testing for solution clarification, and leach solution purification testing for final product quality.
2020-2021 Testwork
The 2020-2021 testwork program included comprehensive characterization of the feed material. Comminution testing was conducted to determine grinding requirements and ore hardness characteristics. Leaching and neutralization tests refined the process conditions. Variability testing assessed the consistency of metallurgical response across different material types. Residue characterization and environmental stability testing examined the long-term behaviour of process residues. Purification and crystallization testing addressed final product specifications. Partial locked-cycle testing simulated continuous operation to validate the proposed flowsheet.
Deleterious Elements
Testing evaluated the presence and behaviour of deleterious elements in the process stream and their potential impact on product quality.
Metallurgical Recovery Estimate
The report provides a metallurgical recovery estimate based on the integrated testwork results.
Key reported parameters
| Parameter | Units | Design/Actual/Testwork Basis |
|---|---|---|
| QEMSCAN mineralogical testing | , | Pre-2020 testwork |
| Diagnostic leach testing | , | Pre-2020 testwork |
| NRC upgrading and purification testing | , | Pre-2020 testwork |
| Ore sorting testwork | , | Preliminary pre-concentration research |
| Tribo-electrostatic separation test | , | Preliminary pre-concentration research |
| Bulk leach and leach parameter testing | , | Flowsheet development testing |
| Vat leach testing | , | Flowsheet development testing |
| Neutralization and solid-liquid separation testing | , | Flowsheet development testing |
| Leach solution purification testing | , | Flowsheet development testing |
| Comminution testing | , | 2020-2021 testwork |
| Leaching and neutralization testing | , | 2020-2021 testwork |
| Variability testing | , | 2020-2021 testwork |
| Residue characterization and environmental stability testing | , | 2020-2021 testwork |
| Purification and crystallization testing | , | 2020-2021 testwork |
| Partial locked-cycle testing | , | 2020-2021 testwork |
| Deleterious elements evaluation | , | Section 13.5 |
| Metallurgical recovery estimate | , | Section 13.6 |
Project website: https://www.manganesexenergycorp.com/projects/battery-hill-project/
Technical qualifications
The report was prepared for Manganese X Energy Corp. by Wood Canada Limited, and the quality of information, conclusions, and estimates contained herein is consistent with the level of effort involved in Wood's services. The information is based on data available at the time of preparation, data supplied by outside sources, and the assumptions, conditions, and qualifications set forth in this report. This report is intended to be used by Manganese X, subject to the terms and conditions of its contract with Wood. Except for the purposes legislated under Canadian provincial and territorial securities law, any use of, or reliance on, this report by any third party is at that party's sole risk.
Source: Technical Report on the Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Battery Hill Manganese Project, Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada, effective date 12 May 2022, Sections 13.0 Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing, 13.1 Summary of Testwork, 13.2 Historical Metallurgical Testwork, 13.3 Pre-2020 Testwork, 13.4 2020-2021 Testwork, 13.5 Deleterious Elements, 13.6 Metallurgical Recovery Estimate.
