Euro Manganese makes progress on Bécancour facility to increase battery manufacturing capabilities
by CM Staff
Bécancour is becoming a battery materials hub within Canada due to the regional infrastructure, the green and competitively priced energy, a government with grant programs.
VANCOUVER — Euro Manganese Inc. announces key developments on its Bécancour Plant, which will try to providee an opportunity to accelerate the Company’s plans to produce high-purity manganese products in Canada for the North American electric vehicle market.
Highlights
A Scoping Study was completed evaluating the development of a Dissolution Plant in Bécancour, Québec capable of producing 48,500 tonnes per annum of battery grade manganese sulphate. The Scoping Study delivered strong preliminary project economics with a post-tax Net Present Value of C$190 million and a post-tax Internal Rate of Return of 26%.
The Company has selected WSP Canada Inc. to complete a Feasibility Study for the Plant, which will further refine Plant design, costs, economics, and customer off-take opportunities.
In addition, the Company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MMC, a South African producer of high-purity electrolytic manganese metal, to supply the Bécancour Dissolution Plant with battery-grade, selenium-free, 99.9% HPEMM feedstock. HPEMM is an already refined metal product that requires further processing to produce battery grade manganese sulphate.
The MoU is strategically significant for the Company as it enables the potential acceleration of the Plant to supply the North American market, possibly as early as mid-2026, thus bringing forward cash flows for the Company.
The Bécancour Plant could produce up to 20% of projected North American 2027 demand for HPMSM. CPM Group forecasts demand for North American HPMSM to rise to approximately 250,000 tpa in 2027 and over 800,000 tpa by 2031. American EV tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act have stimulated growth of the North American EV vehicle market and the upstream supply chain. However, there remains no current processing capacity or production of battery-grade manganese in North America.
Bécancour Scoping Study
Ausenco Vancouver completed a positive Scoping Study which evaluated the development of a high-purity manganese metal Dissolution Plant in Bécancour, Québec capable of producing 48,500 tpa of HPMSM based on sufficient supply of HPEMM feedstock. The Plant site is a 15-hectare land parcel within the Bécancour industrial park on which the Company has an option agreement to purchase. The Company has also completed site due diligence.
The Company has selected WSP Canada Inc. to complete a Feasibility Study for the Plant, which will further refine Plant design, costs, economics, and customer off-take opportunities. Permitting is expected to advance in parallel with the Feasibility Study.
Bécancour is becoming a battery materials hub within Canada due to the regional infrastructure, the green and competitively priced energy, a government with grant programs, and with a qualified local work force. The Company’s site is strategically located adjacent to a cluster of planned cathode active material manufacturing plants, including GM/Posco and BASF.
The Company has signed an MoU with MMC, a South African producer of HPEMM, to supply the Bécancour Dissolution Plant with battery-grade, selenium-free, 99.9% HPEMM feedstock.
The MoU provides feedstock optionality for the Bécancour Plant, allowing it to be fed with HPEMM from MMC and/or with HPEMM from the Company’s Chvaletice Manganese Project. The MoU allows for flexibility on the supply of HPEMM depending on market demand, MMC product availability, and CMP metal sales.
