XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 3427
INTRODUCTION
The Pilbara region of Western Australia contains significant
manganese resources. Historically, some of these deposits,
such as Woodie Woodie for example, have been mined and
processed by dense media separation (DMS) to produce
manganese lumps and fines for the steel industry. Some
manganese deposits could not be processed this way owing
to high levels of dispersed silica or high levels of iron, hin-
dering their beneficiation.
The development of the lithium-ion battery and the
increasing demand for electric vehicles have created a
demand for high purity manganese sulphate. Manganese
is a stabilising component in the cathodes of nickel-man-
ganese-cobalt lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
The material increases energy density and hence improves
driving range. At the same time, it decreases the combusti-
bility of an EV battery pack. Specifically, high purity (4N)
manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) is a critical
component in cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, princi-
pally in electric vehicles (EVs). The demand for HPMSM
is expected to increase by nearly 900% by 2040.
The manganese deposits in the Pilbara that were
unsuitable as feed in the conventional manganese process-
ing route could just turn out to be ideal feed for producing
HPMSM. The ore is near surface and thus, mining is open
cut and low cost. The ore is of medium hardness and only a
relatively coarse grind is required. Thus, only the extraction
and, particularly, the purification step are the main chal-
lenge in exploiting this resource. As the demand for 4N
HPMSM is new, no directly relevant information on its
production could be found in the literature and hence, the
need to explore potential options.
Sustainability and supply chain security of metals for
EV batteries will break up the current one country’s domi-
nance of world productions, which is approximately 90% of
current supply. Manganese is a critical component in Li-ion
batteries used in EVs. NCM (nickel +cobalt +manganese)
is the highest growth battery segment. Battery-makers and
consumers are looking to eliminate cobalt due to concerns
over price and sustainability. Hence, the increasing impor-
tance of high purity manganese sulfate.
This paper discusses the results of an exploratory work
to probe potential options for processing a manganese ore
from the Pilbara to produce HPMSM. The overall aim was
to investigate a potential route to extract manganese from
its ore and purify it to produce a high purity manganese
product at 99.99%(4N) purity.
METHODOLOGY
A potential processing route using existing extraction and
several separation techniques, with modifications as nec-
essary, was conceived. It consisted of a reductive leach-
ing, selective precipitation/crystallisation, re-leaching, ion
exchange and solvent extraction. The specifications, meth-
ods and procedures for non-standard test procedures were
developed by METS Engineering while the laboratory test
works were carried out at ALS Metallurgy and Mineral
Processing Laboratories under the direction of METS
Engineering.
FEED PREPARATION &
CHARACTERISATION
Manganet provided the manganese ore samples that were
used in this work. Three bags of ores taken from the vari-
ous sections of the deposit were received, which are herein
labelled as follows:
1. Bag Sample 1 containing samples labelled
RKM001 – RKM004 (4 different samples)
2. Bag Sample 2 containing samples labelled
RKM007 – RKM0015 (9 different samples)
3. Bag Sample 3 containing rock samples
All samples were ground to P80 1 mm and then a
composite sample consisting of the 14 different samples
was prepared following standard procedure and used in this
testwork. Table 1 shows the main composition of the com-
posite sample.
Table 1. Composition of the composite test sample
J5752 Composite Method %
MnO
2 XRF 63.62
Fe2O3 XRF 17.59
SiO2 XRF 10.27
Al
2 O
3 XRF 1.87
K
2 O XRF 1.57
CaO XRF 0.9
BaO XRF 0.63
Na
2 O ICP 0.31
MgO XRF 0.36
P2O5 XRF 0.11
CoO XRF 0.06
SO
3 XRF 0.1
ZnO XRF 0.05
NiO XRF 0.04
TiO2 XRF 0.05
CuO XRF 0.03
Total 97.56
INTRODUCTION
The Pilbara region of Western Australia contains significant
manganese resources. Historically, some of these deposits,
such as Woodie Woodie for example, have been mined and
processed by dense media separation (DMS) to produce
manganese lumps and fines for the steel industry. Some
manganese deposits could not be processed this way owing
to high levels of dispersed silica or high levels of iron, hin-
dering their beneficiation.
The development of the lithium-ion battery and the
increasing demand for electric vehicles have created a
demand for high purity manganese sulphate. Manganese
is a stabilising component in the cathodes of nickel-man-
ganese-cobalt lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
The material increases energy density and hence improves
driving range. At the same time, it decreases the combusti-
bility of an EV battery pack. Specifically, high purity (4N)
manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) is a critical
component in cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, princi-
pally in electric vehicles (EVs). The demand for HPMSM
is expected to increase by nearly 900% by 2040.
The manganese deposits in the Pilbara that were
unsuitable as feed in the conventional manganese process-
ing route could just turn out to be ideal feed for producing
HPMSM. The ore is near surface and thus, mining is open
cut and low cost. The ore is of medium hardness and only a
relatively coarse grind is required. Thus, only the extraction
and, particularly, the purification step are the main chal-
lenge in exploiting this resource. As the demand for 4N
HPMSM is new, no directly relevant information on its
production could be found in the literature and hence, the
need to explore potential options.
Sustainability and supply chain security of metals for
EV batteries will break up the current one country’s domi-
nance of world productions, which is approximately 90% of
current supply. Manganese is a critical component in Li-ion
batteries used in EVs. NCM (nickel +cobalt +manganese)
is the highest growth battery segment. Battery-makers and
consumers are looking to eliminate cobalt due to concerns
over price and sustainability. Hence, the increasing impor-
tance of high purity manganese sulfate.
This paper discusses the results of an exploratory work
to probe potential options for processing a manganese ore
from the Pilbara to produce HPMSM. The overall aim was
to investigate a potential route to extract manganese from
its ore and purify it to produce a high purity manganese
product at 99.99%(4N) purity.
METHODOLOGY
A potential processing route using existing extraction and
several separation techniques, with modifications as nec-
essary, was conceived. It consisted of a reductive leach-
ing, selective precipitation/crystallisation, re-leaching, ion
exchange and solvent extraction. The specifications, meth-
ods and procedures for non-standard test procedures were
developed by METS Engineering while the laboratory test
works were carried out at ALS Metallurgy and Mineral
Processing Laboratories under the direction of METS
Engineering.
FEED PREPARATION &
CHARACTERISATION
Manganet provided the manganese ore samples that were
used in this work. Three bags of ores taken from the vari-
ous sections of the deposit were received, which are herein
labelled as follows:
1. Bag Sample 1 containing samples labelled
RKM001 – RKM004 (4 different samples)
2. Bag Sample 2 containing samples labelled
RKM007 – RKM0015 (9 different samples)
3. Bag Sample 3 containing rock samples
All samples were ground to P80 1 mm and then a
composite sample consisting of the 14 different samples
was prepared following standard procedure and used in this
testwork. Table 1 shows the main composition of the com-
posite sample.
Table 1. Composition of the composite test sample
J5752 Composite Method %
MnO
2 XRF 63.62
Fe2O3 XRF 17.59
SiO2 XRF 10.27
Al
2 O
3 XRF 1.87
K
2 O XRF 1.57
CaO XRF 0.9
BaO XRF 0.63
Na
2 O ICP 0.31
MgO XRF 0.36
P2O5 XRF 0.11
CoO XRF 0.06
SO
3 XRF 0.1
ZnO XRF 0.05
NiO XRF 0.04
TiO2 XRF 0.05
CuO XRF 0.03
Total 97.56