Stellantis secures manganese in Australia with Element 25
Stellantis has entered into a binding agreement with the Australian mineral exploration company Element 25 for the supply of manganese sulphate for electric vehicle batteries. The deal provides for deliveries starting in 2026 and has a term of five years.
The partners have agreed on deliveries with a total volume of 45,000 tonnes of manganese sulphate. In the first year of 2026, the Australian company is to supply 5,000 tonnes, followed by 10,000 tonnes in each of the four subsequent years.
The signed contract also includes options to extend the delivery period and increase the delivery volume. Element 25 says it will source the material from its Butcherbird project in Western Australia and plans to build a processing plant in the USA. Stellantis has announced that it will also make an equity investment in Element 25 as part of the agreement. Stellantis will support the construction of the US processing plant with 30 million US dollars.
Stellantis says the supply agreement and the equity investment are part of its Dare Forward 2030 electrification strategy that includes securing substantial supplies of raw materials. The supply of manganese, which is an important stabilising element in the cathode of electric vehicle batteries, should enable the Group’s targets: reaching 100 per cent of the passenger car BEV sales mix in Europe and 50 per cent of the passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in the United States by 2030.
“Our commitment to a carbon net zero future includes (the) creation of a smart supply chain to ensure we meet our customers’ desire for EVs,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. “Electric vehicles that deliver breakthrough customer experience in propulsion, connectivity and convenience are central to our Dare Forward 2030 plan that delivers safe, clean and affordable mobility.”
Justin Brown, managing director of Element 25, says that his company aims to become a globally significant long-term supplier of battery materials. Element 25 is an ASX-listed company that specialises in high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) products for traditional and new energy markets.
