K.Hill Project Granted Environmental Authorisation and Submits Mining Licence Application

TORONTO, Jan. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giyani Metals Corp. (TSXV:EMM, GR:A2DUU8) ("Giyani" or the "Company"), developer of the K.Hill battery-grade manganese project in Botswana ("K.Hill" or the "Project") is pleased to announce that it has received the Environmental Authorisation ("EA") for K.Hill. This enabled the Company to finalise the Mining Licence application for the Project, which was submitted to the Department of Mines before 2023 year-end.

Highlights:

• The Company completed the Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") process in accordance with the Environmental Assessment Act of 2011, the Environmental Assessment Regulations of 2012 and the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability of 2012.
• The EIA process culminated in the submittal of a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") to the Botswana Department of Environmental Affairs ("DEA") in March 2023. Following detailed review and public consultation, the DEA approved the EIA and issued the EA with a validity period of 25 years, subject to renewal thereafter.
• Receipt of the EA, together with the required Land Board surface rights approvals and other technical studies, enabled the Company to complete the Mining Licence application process for K.Hill. The Mining Licence application was submitted to the Department of Mines in late December 2023.
• The proposed Mining Licence area is sufficient to accommodate K. Hill's requirements over the extended 57-year life of operations as defined in the Preliminary Economic Assessment prepared in July 2023.

Danny Keating, President and CEO of the Company, commented:

"Securing environmental approvals for mining projects can often take a number of years, so achieving this major milestone in such a short period of time is testament to the diligent approach adopted by the Giyani E&S team and the efficient and rigorous review undertaken by the DEA. Our experience to date validates Botswana's global ranking as a top mining investment jurisdiction.

Giyani's pre-emptive decision to commit to the IFC Performance Standards, in addition to the high requirements of Botswana legislation, as part of this process not only aligns with our values as a company but ensures all workstreams and activities align with international lenders' requirements for construction financing.

We will continue to work closely with the Department of Mines with the aim of being granted the Mining Licence in the first half of 2024."

About Giyani

Giyani's mission is to become a sustainable, low-carbon producer of battery materials for the electric vehicle ("EV") industry. The Company has developed a hydrometallurgical process to produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate, a lithium-ion battery cathode precursor material critical for EVs, directly from ore from its manganese oxide deposits in Botswana.

Additional information and corporate documents may be found on www.sedarplus.com and on Giyani Metals Corp. website at https://giyanimetals.com/.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani Metals Corp.

Danny Keating, President and CEO

Contact:

Danny Keating
President & Chief Executive Officer
[email protected] 

Charles FitzRoy
Head of Corporate Development & Strategy
+44 758 373 4730
[email protected]

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The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. persons," as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act ("U.S. Persons"), except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities to, or for the account of benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Giyani expects to occur, are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur.

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Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation: inherent exploration hazards and risks; risks related to exploration and development of natural resource properties; uncertainty in Giyani's ability to obtain funding; commodity price fluctuations; recent market events and conditions; risks related to the uncertainty of mineral resource calculations and the inclusion of Inferred Mineral Resources in economic estimation; risks related to governmental regulations; risks related to obtaining necessary licences and permits; risks related to their business being subject to environmental laws and regulations; risks related to their mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers, or claims and other defects in title; risks relating to competition from larger companies with greater financial and technical resources; risks relating to the inability to meet financial obligations under agreements to which they are a party; ability to recruit and retain qualified personnel; and risks related to their directors and officers becoming associated with other natural resource companies which may give rise to conflicts of interests. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Giyani's forward-looking information. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking information or statements.

Giyani's forward-looking information is based on the reasonable beliefs, expectations and opinions of their respective management on the date the statements are made, and Giyani does not assume any obligation to update forward looking information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions change, except as required by law. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. For a complete discussion with respect to Giyani and risks associated with forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, please refer to Giyani's Annual Information Form, all of which are filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.