Advanced manganese developer Firebird Metals Limited (ASX: FRB) has signed a non-binding strategic cooperation agreement with China National Chemistry Southern Construction and Investment Co. to collaborate through the development and ultimately building the company’s high-purity manganese sulphate plant, located in Jinshi, Hunan province, China.
Under the agreement both parties will use their strengths to collaborate extensively on the project, covering investment, financing, engineering construction, operational management, industrial development, and the production of battery-grade manganese sulphate and tetroxide. This strategic partnership will evolve through mutual consultations, emphasising advancements in innovative new energy storage battery cathode materials.
“We are very pleased to have attracted a partner in China Chemical, a leader in China and internationally when it comes to building high-quality, tier-one chemical projects,” Firebird Managing Director Peter Allen said.
“China Chemical is the right partner for Firebird and we look forward to working collaboratively with them for the development and build of our sulphate plant. China Chemical built and currently maintains the Jinshi Industrial Chemical Park and with our plant to be located in the Jinshi High Tech Industries Development Zone, we have the upmost confidence that the end product with will be of the highest quality.
“We are making excellent progress in China and forming partnerships with industry leaders like China Chemical is a strong endorsement of what we are establishing and validation of our unique LMFP battery strategy.
“We are moving rapidly towards our goal of becoming a near-term, low-cost high-purity manganese producer and the timing of our growth vision could not be better, with LMFP forecast to be the dominant cathode for Electric Vehicle batteries and estimated to grow into a >$US20 billion market by 2030.”
Firebird, through its Chinese aubsidiary Hunan Firebird Battery Technology Co Ltd, is advanced on several key workstreams scheduled for completion in the first half of 2024.