Element 25, an Australian manganese producer, announced it is revisiting the execution plan for a proposed high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) plant in Louisiana, citing shifts in demand patterns from the electric vehicle (EV) sector and changes in the battery chemistry mix being adopted by major equipment manufacturers.
The planned Louisiana facility, which is intended to supply manganese feedstock for EV batteries, has been developed in partnership with automakers General Motors and Stellantis and has received support from the U.S. Department of Energy. Element 25 said it is actively engaged with its automotive partners to align commercial terms with the updated project schedule and market signals.
Company management confirmed that talks with General Motors are underway to renegotiate the contract after adjustments to the project timeline caused delivery commitments to be missed. In parallel, Element 25 said it is holding discussions with Stellantis to review and potentially revise their arrangements.
Justin Brown, Managing Director of Element 25, commented on the rationale for the review: "The landscape has shifted materially over the past 12 months, and it is essential that our strategy reflects current demand signals as well as the emerging chemistry mix being adopted by major equipment manufacturers across the EV and other battery markets."
The scope of the Louisiana project review will cover multiple elements of project delivery. Element 25 specified that site selection and associated contractual arrangements will be re-examined, alongside the completion of project financing, construction timelines and updates to grant agreements with the U.S. Department of Energy. These elements will inform any revisions to the execution plan and partner commitments.
Separately, Element 25 is increasing output at its Butcherbird operations in Western Australia. The company said the expanded Butcherbird capacity is intended to supply the planned HPMSM facility in Louisiana and to continue serving customers in the established ferroalloys market for steelmaking.
The company's announcement frames the reassessment as a response to evolving market dynamics rather than an abandonment of the project. Element 25 will use the review to align its U.S. development timeline, contractual obligations and financing arrangements with the current state of EV demand and battery chemistry adoption.