# AEF Commences Stage 3 Testwork Program Targeting Battery-Grade High-Purity Manganese Sulphate Production

Canonical Atlas analysis: https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/aef-commences-stage-3-testwork-program-targeting-battery-grade-high-purity-manga--460e9701-0beb-4f3b-ac40-5c020455cbcc

Original source: https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/AEF/news/8845076428829159/aef-commences-stage-3-testwork-program-targeting-battery-grade-high-purity-manga

Publisher: tmx

Original announcement: 2026-02-17T13:00:00.000Z

Analysis by Minestarters Atlas

Atlas analysis published: Unknown date

Atlas analysis updated: Unknown date

- Company: AE Fuels Corporation

- Ticker: AEF

- Exchange: TSX

- Region: Western Australia

- Primary commodity: Manganese

- Secondary commodities: Fluorspar

- Document categories: Metallurgy

- Extracted: 2026-08-21 02:08:47 UTC

Narrative sentiment: 0.60 · Bullish

## Minestarters Atlas summary

AE Fuels Corporation has commenced Stage 3 metallurgical testwork in collaboration with CSIRO to develop a scalable purification pathway for battery-grade manganese sulphate \(HPMSM\). This program aims to optimize solvent extraction \(SX\) performance and de-risk the flowsheet ahead of a planned Pre-Feasibility Study in mid-2027.

Reasoning: The announcement details the commencement of Stage 3 metallurgical testwork with a national science agency \(CSIRO\) to optimize a flowsheet for high-purity manganese sulphate, a key battery material.

- Positive factor: Advancing to Stage 3 testwork with CSIRO

- Positive factor: Targeting high-value battery-grade products \(HPMSM/EMM\)

- Positive factor: Co-funded program reduces technical and financial risk

- Positive factor: Clear staged development path toward PFS

- Negative factor: Technical risk remains regarding continuous solvent extraction \(SX\) scale-up

Facts used in scoring: 1

## Classification and evidence

**Mill Route**

Polarity: neutral

Definition: Processing via mill or concentrator \(CIL, CIP, tank leach, flotation\).

Why it applies: The project involves beneficiation, leaching, and solvent extraction \(SX\) processing.

Evidence · text

> outlines a potential end-to-end processing pathway from run-of-mine material through beneficiation and downstream hydrometallurgical processing

**QP/CP Signed**

Polarity: positive

Story-specific tag

Definition: Qualified Person \(QP\) or Competent Person \(CP\) named and signed off — a member of a recognized professional association \(e.g., AusIMM, SME, AIG, P.Geo\) with relevant experience.

Why it applies: John Levings, BSc FAusIMM., is named as the Qualified Person responsible for the technical information.

Evidence · text

> Qualified Person John Levings, BSc FAusIMM., Technical Director, AE Fuels Corporation, is the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101

## Extracted facts

Stored fact records: 1. Some facts used in scoring do not have a stored record.

## Metallurgical Results (1)

### solvent extraction

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/aef-commences-stage-3-testwork-program-targeting-battery-grade-high-purity-manga--460e9701-0beb-4f3b-ac40-5c020455cbcc#fact-metallurgical-facts-0)

manganese

#### Identity

- Commodity: manganese
- Ticker: AEF

#### Test Work

- Program Status: optimization
- Test Type: solvent extraction
- Processing Route: beneficiation, reduction, leaching, and solvent extraction \(SX\) purification
- Sample: Stage 3 research agreement with CSIRO targeting battery-grade HPMSM and EMM

#### Lab

- Laboratory: CSIRO

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

- Event date: 2026-02-17T00:00:00.000Z

Reasoning: Commencement of advanced purification trials to validate continuous operation and optimize flowsheet performance.

- Positive factor: Collaboration with CSIRO

- Positive factor: Focus on high-purity battery-grade products

Evidence · text

> signed a Stage 3 research agreement with Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, to undertake testwork aimed at progressing a scalable purification pathway

## How Atlas produces this analysis

Minestarters Atlas uses automated extraction to summarize mining announcements, identify reported measurements, and classify supporting evidence. Sentiment reflects the extracted narrative and classification rules; it is an interpretation, not a reported measurement. Evidence quotes and context are provided where available. Missing data, low-confidence results, and review flags indicate limitations. Check the original publisher announcement before relying on an interpretation.