Element 25 Limited (E25: ASX), an ASX-listed company focused on manganese production, has appointed Perth-based Altris Engineering as the lead engineering consultant for its Butcherbird Expansion Project (BBX). Element 25 operates the Butcherbird Manganese Project in Western Australia. The collaboration marks a significant step in the company’s strategy to increase manganese ore production. The Butcherbird project, located in the Pilbara region, boasts a world-class manganese resource with substantial reserves.
Altris and Element 25 will form an integrated project team to manage the detailed engineering design and project execution. The Butcherbird Expansion Project aims to increase manganese ore production to a targeted 1.1 million tonnes per annum. This expansion will support Element 25’s planned high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) production facility in Louisiana, USA.
The estimated capital cost for the expansion is AU$64.8 million, with strong projected returns based on the January 2025 Feasibility Study. The Butcherbird project has received full regulatory approvals under the WA Regulatory Framework. Element 25 recently completed a AU$10 million placement and secured a AU$50 million senior debt facility from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) to fund the project.
Element 25 Managing Director Justin Brown expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with Altris Engineering, highlighting its importance in executing the Butcherbird Expansion Project. Altris Managing Director Michael Ehlers conveyed pride in being selected for this project, noting it as an opportunity to showcase Altris’ capabilities in delivering high-value engineering solutions to the minerals processing sector.
