The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) has approved up to $50 million in funding to support the expansion of the Butcherbird manganese project, unlocking jobs and bolstering Western Australia’s economy.
Led by Perth-based Element 25, the project will triple production of manganese concentrate to 1.1 million tonnes per year. Manganese, a metal on the Australian Government’s Critical Minerals List, plays a vital role in steel and alloy production, as well as emerging battery technologies.
The project, located in the Pilbara, is expected to inject an estimated $909 million into the region’s Gross Regional Product. Over its 18-year life, it will create approximately 150 construction jobs and 230 operational roles. Element 25 has committed to a minimum 10 per cent Indigenous employment target and at least 5 per cent of its workforce will be recruited locally from the Pilbara.
Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Madeleine King, welcomed the development.
“The Pilbara is the engine room of Australia’s economy and projects like this will ensure that engine keeps running for many years to come,” she said. “This project is creating jobs, driving the economy of the Pilbara, and delivering outcomes for First Nations Australians.”
The investment forms part of NAIF’s broader commitment to supporting the development of Australia’s critical minerals sector. To date, NAIF has invested $4.4 billion in 32 projects across Northern Australia, with $500 million earmarked specifically for critical minerals initiatives.
Other projects under consideration involve rare earths, vanadium, lithium hydroxide, high-purity alumina, and silicon.
“I believe the Butcherbird manganese project will be another in a long list of success stories stemming from the NAIF’s investments,” King added.
The NAIF loan remains subject to standard financing conditions and government approvals.