Botswana has awarded Giyani Metals a 15-year mining licence, the company announced on Wednesday, paving the way for it to become the country’s first battery-grade manganese producer.

Manganese is a key component in batteries and its demand is expected to be driven by growth in electric vehicles, among other clean energy applications.

Giyani’s Kgwakwe Hill project will process manganese oxide material on-site to produce high-purity manganese sulphate, making it one of the few battery-grade manganese projects outside China. The Asian country controls 90% of global high-purity manganese supply.

The mine will have an initial annual output of 80,000 metric tons of high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate annually over a 57-year life, according to a 2023 preliminary economic assessment.