Electric Metals (USA) Limited announced the appointment of leading metallurgical laboratory, Kemetco Research Inc., Richmond, BC, Canada, to undertake new metallurgical test work on composites of selected drill core samples from recently completed drilling of high-grade manganese at the Emily Manganese Project. Kemetco is familiar with the high-grade manganese project at Emily, having performed a series of tests in 2013-2014 on samples from the deposit and has since been involved in flowsheet development testwork on other manganese projects which are aimed at producing feedstocks for the burgeoning EV battery industry. Core samples from the recently completed drilling campaign have been selected by EML's Chief Technical Officer, and Chair of the Technical Advisory Board ("TAB"), Dr. Ian Pringle, in consultation with his technical team to make up two composites for the initial test work.

These composites represent the Higher Grade (34% Mn, 21% Fe, 6% SiO2) and Lower Grade (16% Mn, 21% Fe, 39% SiO2) zones of the resource. A total of 202 kilograms (445 pounds) of samples have been delivered to Kemetco. These samples will initially be tested using common beneficiation techniques including gravity concentration, magnetic separation and flotation to determine if the manganese grade can be increased while rejecting some of the iron and silica.

Samples will also be subjected to reductive acid leaching, purification and crystallization to determine amenability to hydrometallurgical treatment to produce saleable products for the battery industry. The test program will be performed interactively with the EML technical team, and it is expected to take approximately 14 weeks to complete.