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ELEMENT 25 LIMITED Capital/Financing Update 2021

Aug 25, 2021

64810_rns_2021-08-25_d94c99ed-5f58-4622-a8fb-7ce37115a399.pdf

Capital/Financing Update

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The future has always been electric...

ASX ANNOUNCEMENT 26 AUGUST 2021

Concentrate Production Moves to Steady State, Element 25 Renews Focus on Battery Grade Manganese

  • Rapid extraction at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure confirmed.

  • Alternative reagent selection reduces process complexity and carbon intensity.

  • Recoveries of up to 97% Mn achieved with further optimisation planned.

  • Programme utilised run-of-mine concentrate from the Stage 1 Butcherbird processing plant.

  • Concentrate from the beneficiation plant to be the feedstock for the HPMSM conversion process.

Element 25 Limited ( E25 or Company ) ( ASX:E25 ) is pleased to confirm run-of-mine concentrate product from the Stage 1 beneficiation plant at the Company’s 100% owned world class Butcherbird Manganese Project ( Project ) has been successfully leached to produce a manganese sulphate solution as the first step in producing battery grade High Purity Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate ( HPMSM ) for the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles ( EV ) .

The product from the simple low-cost beneficiation process currently in use at the Project was always envisaged as suitable feed material for the Company’s rapid, simple leach process.

As in previous test work using material from the Project, high extraction rates of up to 97% were achieved in under 60 minutes with the bulk of the extraction taking place in the first 15 minutes of the reaction . Importantly the current round of extraction tests utilised an alternative reagent which offers advantages over that used previously both from an availability, cost, process simplification and carbon intensity perspective, in keeping with the Company’s objective of becoming a low cost Zero Carbon Manganese[TM] producer.

E25 Managing Director Mr Justin Brown commented, “ The resumption of the flowsheet optimisation test programme is a critical component of finalising the battery grade manganese sulphate Pre-Feasibility Study which is scheduled for completion in 2021. This work also importantly confirms the suitability of the concentrate produced from the Stage 1 beneficiation circuit for conversion to HPMSM and the market can now expect regular updates from this work stream.”

COMPANY SNAPSHOT

Market Summary Board of Directors: ASX code: E25 Seamus Cornelius Chairman Shares on issue: 149M Justin Brown MD Share price: $1.83 John Ribbons NED

Element 25 Limited is developing the world class Butcherbird Manganese Project in Western Australia to produce high quality manganese concentrate and high purity manganese products for traditional and new energy markets.

Element 25 Limited

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Test
Number
Test
Number
Feed Size Feed Size Feed Size Duration
(min)
Duration
(min)
Temp
(C)
Temp
(C)
Pulp
Density
(%)
Pulp
Density
(%)
Pulp
Density
(%)
Relative
Reductant
Addition
Relative
Reductant
Addition
Relative
Reductant
Addition
H2SO4
Stoichiometric
Ratio (%)
H2SO4
Stoichiometric
Ratio (%)
Feed Ore Feed Ore Conc (%) Conc (%) Conc (%) Final Filtrate Conc
(mg/L)
Final Filtrate Conc
(mg/L)
Final Filtrate Conc
(mg/L)
Final Filtrate Conc
(mg/L)
Recovery from
Solids (%)
Recovery from
Solids (%)
Recovery from
Solids (%)
Recovery from
Solids (%)
Recovery from
Solids (%)
Mn Fe
Mn

Fe

Mn

Fe
HY10563 500µm 60 90 20 1.5 200 33.7 10.5 104900 16800 97.1 52.99
HY10564 500µm 60 90 20 1.0 200 33.7 10.5 84350 10860 86.6 34.73
Table 1: Leach extraction details
0
20
40
60
80
100
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Extraction (%)
Time (min)
Mn Extraction
HY10563
HY1056
0 55
60
0
20
40
60
80
100
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Extraction (%)
Time (min)
Mn Extraction
HY10563
HY1056
0 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
15
Extraction (%)
Fe Extraction 55
60
50
55
6
4
20
25
30
35
40
Time (min)
HY10563
HY1
45
50
0564

Figure 1. Manganese extraction over time

Figure 2. Iron extraction over time

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Manganese Ore &
Reagent Slurry
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The test results also show the selectivity over impurities the E25 process can deliver, with clear partitioning of iron and manganese into the liquor and waste residue streams. The next stage of the optimisation work will investigate the optimal way to purify the leach liquor to both minimise cost and process complexity, whilst also meeting the requirements of potential offtake partners.

Further updates will be released to the market as this work progresses, including the PFS documentation that is expected to show the exciting commercial potential around the conversion of the Company’s current concentrate product to battery grade HPMSM to power the electrification of the global vehicle fleet.

Project team focus

The Business Development team is focussing on the next stages of the multi-stage development strategy of the Project including a Stage 2 expansion of the concentrate business followed by a Stage 3 development to convert the concentrate material into high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate ( HPMSM ) for electric vehicle ( EV ) batteries to power the global transition away from fossil fuel powered mobility.

Element 25 Limited

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Manganese is emerging as an increasingly important ingredient for EV batteries, with potential supply constraints for nickel and cobalt forcing battery manufacturers to look to high manganese cathodes to produce the vast amount of cathode material required by the EV industry in coming years.[1]

The Project is ideally placed to feed this potential demand, with advanced flowsheet development work undertaken in 2019 and 2020 confirming a simple leach process for E25 ores which, when combined with offsets, will target the world’s first Zero Carbon Manganese[TM] for EV cathode manufacture[2] .

About the Butcherbird Manganese Project

The Butcherbird Manganese Project is a world-class manganese resource with current JORC resources of more than 263Mt of manganese ore[3] . In May 2020, the Company completed a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS)[4] with respect to developing the deposit to produce manganese concentrate for export to generate early cashflow with a modest capital requirement[5] . The outstanding economics and low capital hurdle for the first stage of development has allowed the Company to deliver first production from the Project in less than twelve months from the publication of the PFS.

The PFS also highlighted the Project’s potential for significant growth beyond the initial Stage 1 production volumes (the studies examined the potential for a 2X and 3X expansion to Stage 1 within 12 months of initial commissioning), and the Company expects to expedite the expansion of the Project.

In addition to the concentrate export business, the Company has completed extensive research & development and laboratory test work into the production of high purity manganese products including battery grade manganese sulphate ( HPMSM ) and High Purity Electrolytic Manganese Metal ( HPEMM ). The work has highlighted that the Butcherbird ores are highly amenable to an ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure leach process, resulting in a very efficient extraction of the manganese into solution, the key requirement for the cost effective and sustainable production of HPMSM and HPEMM.

The Project straddles the Great Northern Highway and the Goldfields Gas Pipeline, providing turnkey logistics and energy solutions. The Company plans to integrate renewable energy into the power solution over time to target a zero-carbon footprint for the Project, which is expected to also reduce energy costs. A cleaner, lower carbon flowsheet and high penetration renewable energy will place Butcherbird at the forefront of sustainable high purity manganese production.

1 https://thenextavenue.com/2021/01/22/svolt-opens-orders-for-its-nmx-nickel-manganese-batteries/ 2 Reference: Company ASX release dated 12 February 2019.

3 Reference: Company ASX release dated 17 April 2019.

4 Reference: Company ASX release dated 19 may 2020.

5 Reference: Company ASX release dated 3 December 2020

Element 25 Limited

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Mineral Resources

Category Tonnes (Mt) Mn (%) Si (%) Fe (%) Al (%)
Measured 16 11.6 20.6 11.7 5.7
Indicated 41 10.0 20.9 11.0 5.8
Inferred 206 9.8 20.8 11.4 5.9
Total 263 10.0 20.8 11.4 5.9

Notes:

• Reported at a 7% Mn cut-off for the Measured and Indicated categories and an 8% Mn cut-off for the Inferred categories. • All figures rounded to reflect the appropriate level of confidence (apparent differences may occur due to rounding)

Mining Reserve

Based on the results of the Pre-Feasibility Study completed in May 2020, E25 has published a Maiden Ore Reserve for the Project of 50.55Mt in the Proved and Probable categories[6] .

Classification Tonnes (Mt) Grade (Mn%) Contained Mn (Mt) Recovered Mn (Mt)
Proved 14.4 11.5 1.65 1.35
Probable 36.2 9.8 3.56 2.92
Total 50.6 10.3 5.21 4.27

Justin Brown

Managing Director

Company information, ASX announcements, investor presentations, corporate videos and other investor material in the Company’s projects can be viewed at: http://www.element25.com.au.

Competent Persons Statement

The company confirms that in the case of estimates of Mineral Resource or Ore Reserves, all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the market announcements dated 17 April 2019 and 19 May 2020 continue to apply and have not materially changed. The company confirms that the form and context in which the competent person’s findings are presented has not been materially modified from the original market announcements.

The information in this report that relates to Exploration Results and Exploration Targets is based on information compiled by Mr Justin Brown who is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. At the time that the Exploration Results and Exploration Targets were compiled, Mr Brown was an employee of Element 25 Limited. Mr Brown is a geologist and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the ‘Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves’. Mr Brown consents to the inclusion of this information in the form and context in which it appears in this report.

This announcement is authorised for market release by Element 25 Limited’s Board of Directors.

6 Reference: Element 25 Limited Reserve Statement lodged with ASX 19 May 2020.

Element 25 Limited

JORC Code, 2012 Edition – Table 1 – Butcherbird Project Hydrometallurgical Test Work

Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data

Criteria JORC Code explanation JORC Code explanation Commentary Commentary
Sampling Nature and quality of sampling (eg cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised
industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation,
Processing product stockpile sampled at 1 hour intervals and combined and split
using a riffle splitter to form a daily composite. Testwork conducted on a sub-
techniques such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples sample.
should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. Samples are pulverized to 75 µm, with elements determined by whole rock XRF
Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the fused bead analysis.
appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.
Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report.
In cases where ‘industry standard’ work has been done this would be relatively simple
(eg ‘reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was
pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay’). In other cases more explanation
may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling
problems.
Drilling Drill type (eg core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger,
Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (eg core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of
N/A
techniques diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by
_what method, etc). _
Drill sample Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results
assessed.
N/A
recovery Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the
samples.
Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample
bias may have occurred due topreferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material.
Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a
level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and
N/A
metallurgical studies.
Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc)
photography.
The total length andpercentage of the relevant intersections logged.
Sub-sampling
If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.
If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or

Daily composite is subsampled using a riffle splitter.
Sample sizes are considered appropriate for the nature of the test work which is
techniques and dry. bench scale lab testing.
sample For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample
preparation technique.
Samples are routinely assayed for Mn, Fe, Si, Al, Ca.
preparation Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise
representivity of samples.
Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material
_collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling. _
Criteria JORC Code explanation JORC Code explanation Commentary Commentary
Whether sample sizes are appropriate to thegrain size of the material being sampled.
Quality of assay The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures
used and whether the technique is considered partial or total.

The samples were assayed by whole rock XRF fused bead analysis.
Samples are routinely assayed for Mn, Fe, Si, Al, Ca.
data and For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters
laboratory tests used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times,
calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc.
Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, blanks, duplicates,
external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (ie lack of bias)
andprecision have been established.
Verification of The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative
company personnel.

All data has been checked internally for accuracy by ALS staff.
All data is collected via Surpac following validation.
sampling and The use of twinned holes. No adjustments have been made to assay data.
assaying Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage
(physical and electronic) protocols.
Location of data Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole
surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource
N/A.
points estimation.
Specification of the grid system used.
Quality and adequacy of topographic control.
Data spacing
Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results.
Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of
N/A
and distribution geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve
estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied.
Whether sample compositing has been applied.
Orientation of Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures
and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type.
N/A
data in relation If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key
to geological mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be
assessed and reported if material.
structure
Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Chain of custody of the samples is managed by company representatives and is
considered appropriate. The samples were delivered directly to ALS Laboratories in
Perth.
Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. The data and sampling techniques are reviewed internally.

Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results

(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.)

Criteria JORC Code explanation JORC Code explanation Commentary Commentary
Mineral Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or
material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding
The Butcherbird Project consists of granted exploration license E52/2350 and Mining
Lease Application M52/1074.
tenement and royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and The tenure is 100% owned by Element 25 Ltd.
land tenure environmental settings.
The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known
status impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area.
Exploration done Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. The historical exploration data has been collected by Element 25 Limited and has
been reported to high standards.
by other parties The methods of exploration and techniques used are considered appropriate for the
deposit types sought(Mn)
Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation.
Butcherbird is a stratiform sedimentary manganese deposit.
The deposits are hosted within the Ilgarari Formation which is generally flat lying with
gentle open folding in places.
The manganese mineralisation within the ore zones is divided into three distinctive
units – a high grade manganiferous cap, supergene enriched manganiferous laterite
and basal shale.
Drill hole A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results
including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes:
See historical ASX releases regarding the Butcherbird Mineral Resources.
Information o easting and northing of the drill hole collar
o elevation or RL (Reduced Level – elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill
hole collar
o dip and azimuth of the hole
o down hole length and interception depth
o hole length.
Data aggregation In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or
minimum grade truncations (eg cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually
N/A.
methods Material and should be stated.
Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high grade results and longer
lengths of low grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated
and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail.
The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly
stated.
Criteria JORC Code explanation JORC Code explanation Commentary Commentary
Relationship If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its
nature should be reported.
N/A. The samples are run-of-mine production samples
between If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear
mineralisation statement to this effect (eg ‘down hole length, true width not known’).
widths and
intercept lengths
Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be
included for any significant discovery being reported These should include, but not be
NA
limited to aplan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views.
Balanced Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable,
representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be
NA
reporting practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results.
Other Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but
not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey

NA
substantive results; bulk samples – size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk
exploration data density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or
contaminating substances.
Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (eg tests for lateral extensions or depth
extensions or large-scale step-out drilling).
The next phase of work will focus on further metallurgical testwork.
Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main
geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not
commercially sensitive.