VANCOUVER: Euro Manganese Inc., a Canadian mineral resource company, has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with JFE Steel Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, to supply high-purity manganese products from its proposed demonstration plant at the Chvaletice Manganese Project in the Czech Republic for testing and evaluation.

Approximately 10% (1,000kg) of the demonstration plant’s planned production, in the form of high-purity electrolytic manganese metal (HPEMM), will be provided to JFE.

Further, pursuant to the MOU, the Company and JFE intend to collaborate by sharing technical and other information, so that EMN’s proposed Chvaletice Manganese Project plant can be designed and built to meet JFE’s requirements for reliable, high-quality and environmentally-superior HPEMM for use in high-end specialty steel applications.

Upon completion of testing and evaluation of the HPEMM by JFE, and subject to a production decision being made based on the results of a feasibility study which is currently underway, the parties intend to work toward establishing a non-exclusive, long-term supply arrangement of HPEMM produced at the Chvaletice Manganese Project, in accordance with conditions to be agreed.

Marco Romero, President and CEO of EMN, commented: “We are pleased to have made this important first step in the development of a promising relationship with JFE Steel, one of the world’s premier steel companies. Their strong focus on uncompromising quality, reliability, sustainability and impeccable provenance fits perfectly with Euro Manganese’s own philosophy.”