Element 25 announced on 8 September 2026 that it has executed a binding $50 million finance facility with the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility for the Butcherbird Expansion Project in Western Australia.
Binding funding framework
The package comprises a $42.5 million term facility and a $7.5 million cost-overrun facility. The term facility has an 11-year tenor from financial close, while the cost-overrun facility has a three-year tenor.
Funding may be applied to eligible project and operating costs during development and ramp-up, financing costs, reserve accounts and approved cost overruns. Availability remains subject to Element 25 satisfying or obtaining waivers for the remaining conditions precedent.
Butcherbird expansion
The Butcherbird Expansion Project is designed to increase manganese concentrate production capacity to approximately 1.1 million tonnes a year. The project is intended to supply traditional manganese markets and feedstock for Element 25’s proposed high-purity manganese sulphate processing facility in Louisiana in the United States.
The dedicated cost-overrun facility provides additional contingency capacity during construction and operational ramp-up. Element 25 said the long-tenor financing also reduces its immediate equity funding requirement.
Work towards financial close
The company will now focus on the project-finance and security structure, project accounts, compliance requirements and confirmation of the remaining funding needed for completion. Financial close and first drawdown can occur after the applicable conditions are satisfied or waived.
The agreement advances the funding structure for a substantial Western Australian mine and concentrate-production expansion. Development, commissioning and ramp-up activity could require a range of project, mining and processing capability, but Element 25 did not announce new vacancies or a construction start date.
Source: Element 25 Limited, “Element 25 Executes Binding AU$50 Million NAIF Finance Facility Agreement for Butcherbird Expansion”, 8 September 2026.