Resource Development Group, an emerging player in the critical minerals sector with a market capitalization of $53.11 million, has reached a significant milestone by successfully producing high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) from un-beneficiated ore sourced from the Ant Hill deposit in Western Australia. This achievement sets the stage for scaling up production of HPMSM, a high-demand material crucial for the rapidly expanding electric vehicle (EV) battery market, alongside other advanced technological applications.

HPMSM is a key precursor material for the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries, which power electric vehicles and are integral to renewable energy storage systems. As global demand for EVs and energy storage continues to surge, manganese has become increasingly critical, positioning Resource Development Group to capitalize on the market’s need for high-purity, sustainable manganese supply chains.

In addition to confirming the viability of producing HPMSM from the Ant Hill orebody, the company has committed to further refining its production process to minimize impurities and enhance the efficiency of the manufacturing cycle. Resource Development is currently executing a series of advanced process improvements, including laboratory test work designed to assess the impact of introducing seed crystals during precipitation stages. The goal is to optimize the purity and yield of the HPMSM product, ensuring it meets the stringent quality requirements of battery manufacturers and automotive producers.

A key next step for the company is the construction of a larger-scale pilot plant, which is now in the final stages of design. This plant will be capable of producing between 40 and 50 kilograms of HPMSM per day, using data collected from the ongoing test work program. The scale-up is essential not only for meeting the material demands of potential offtake partners but also for advancing to the second and subsequent qualification stages with leading vehicle and battery manufacturers. These partnerships are vital to Resource Development’s growth strategy, as the qualification process is a rigorous and multi-stage process that is necessary to secure long-term supply agreements with industry giants.

The pilot plant will also provide invaluable engineering data for the design of a full-scale HPMSM processing facility, which Resource Development aims to construct with an initial production capacity of 50,000 tonnes per annum (tpa). The company is strategically planning to scale the operation, with the flexibility to expand output by an additional 50,000 tpa as demand for HPMSM increases. This scalability ensures that Resource Development is well-positioned to meet the growing global demand for manganese-based materials as the energy transition accelerates.

The company is also ensuring that the production process is robust by feeding the pilot plant with ore from multiple locations within the Ant Hill deposit. This diverse feedstock is intended to test the consistency and adaptability of the process under various ore conditions, ensuring reliable and high-quality output regardless of ore variability.

To further strengthen its resource base, Resource Development has updated the mineral resource estimate for the Ant Hill deposit. The latest figures indicate a total of 8.57 million tonnes of ore, including 4.48 million tonnes at 17.9% manganese in the indicated category and 4.1 million tonnes at 18% manganese in the inferred category. This updated estimate reinforces the long-term potential of the deposit, providing a solid foundation for future production expansions.

As the company continues to refine its production processes and scale up its operations, Resource Development Group is positioning itself as a key supplier of high-purity manganese products, essential to the global battery and EV industries. With the pilot plant set to produce larger volumes of HPMSM and the strategic development of its full-scale processing facility, Resource Development is poised to play a pivotal role in meeting the increasing demand for critical materials that support the global transition to cleaner energy and sustainable technology.