Integrated battery materials company Elcora Advanced Materials has started operations on its 16 km² manganese mining concession in Morocco, for which it acquired exclusive rights in March.

The manganese deposit was mined until a few years ago when the strict rules of the Covid-19 pandemic prevented further development.

The artisanal production run rate at the deposit was then about 2 500 t a month; however, Elcora states that its in-country team believes there is potential to increase this by adding appropriate equipment.

The General Society of Surveillance-certified African Laboratory for Mining and Environment team evaluated onsite that already extracted manganese piles contain about 5 500 t of manganese ore.

The masses tested between 27% and 33% manganese before sorting or processing and it is estimated that about 4 000 t of 37% manganese ore after sorting can be obtained from the same piles.

Elcora points out in a statement, that manganese ore grading at 37% currently sells at about $330/t on the international market.

Going forward, this enables Elcora to sort, process and sell manganese ore to meet customer demand.

Thereafter, mining will continue as a surface deposit, saving the company time and money, according to Elcora.

“We are very excited about this confirmation of extracted manganese ore on our site. This is a significant milestone for Elcora.

“We are confident that we can produce high-quality battery metals and minerals that meet the growing demand from the electric vehicle and energy storage sectors,” said Elcora CEO and president Troy Grant.

Elcora aims to establish itself as a significant roleplayer in battery technologies with known metal deposits and untapped mineral sites with great potential.

The company’s mandate is focused on the global battery materials value chain and Elcora plans on extracting and processing battery-grade minerals and metals from its current projects, owing to manganese being a key component for battery-grade minerals and metals.

The company highlights recent studies that show that manganese-based compounds can be used in lithium-ion batteries to improve their efficiency and stability.

These batteries, commonly used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles, have a limited storage capacity and can be expensive to produce. However, by adding manganese to the battery’s cathode, researchers have been able to increase its storage capacity and extend its lifespan.