Latest news with #JustinBrown
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Element 25 receives $32.5m from NAIF to expand Australian manganese project
Australian miner Element 25 has secured a senior debt finance facility of up to A$50m ($32.5m) from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), a Commonwealth Government financier, to expand its 100%-owned Butcherbird manganese project in Western Australia (WA). The finance includes A$42.5m in senior debt and a A$7.5m cost overrun facility. It will boost Butcherbird's production capacity to 1.1 million tonnes per annum of manganese oxide concentrate. The expansion will facilitate the supply of feedstock to Element 25's planned high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) processing facility in Louisiana, US, and fulfil concentrate sales to other customers. A feasibility study updated in January 2025 projected the expansion's capital cost at A$64.8m, forecasting a pre-tax net present value of A$561m and a 96% pre-tax internal rate of return. The study anticipates an average annual cash flow of A$70.5m over a mine life exceeding 18 years. The NAIF financing follows a $166m grant from the US Department of Energy for the processing facility construction in Louisiana and $115m from offtake partners General Motors and Stellantis. Element 25 stated that its processing technology for producing HPMSM for lithium-ion batteries leads to low energy consumption and minimal waste. Element 25 managing director Justin Brown said: 'Securing this support from the Federal Government's Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility reaffirms the government's commitment to developing Australia's critical minerals sector and Butcherbird's economic importance to Australia and the Pilbara region of WA. 'Our feasibility studies have confirmed Butcherbird's pedigree as a long-life manganese concentrate production hub from its 274 million tonne resource, which is integral to our plans for HPMSM in the USA as well as potentially other locations around the world. This support from NAIF is critical to our plans to expand Butcherbird to meet this growing demand as the world continues to shift towards electrification and energy transition.' Element 25 has secured all necessary approvals for the Butcherbird expansion, including final statutory approval from the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation in March 2025, and other approvals from the WA Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety in January. Further, Element 25 is finalising the balance of required finance for the project through various financing groups, equity providers and key commercial contracts. The Butcherbird manganese expansion project team is following a detailed execution plan to deliver the project by 2026, stated the company. "Element 25 receives $32.5m from NAIF to expand Australian manganese project" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
West Australian
17-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
The NAIF chequebook with a chequered history whipped out again for a $50m loan to Element 25
The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility has dusted itself off and found a new WA mining venture to invest in less than four months on from a collapse that could cost taxpayers more than $140 million. NAIF has earmarked a low-interest loan of up to $50m for the expansion of Element 25's Butcherbird manganese mine in the Pilbara. E25 wants more manganese concentrate to feed into its planned high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) processing facility in the US state of Louisiana. The HPMSM facility secured a $US166m grant funding from the US Department of Energy in September. Shares in E25 were up nearly 13 per cent on news of the NAIF funding. 'Securing this support from the Federal Government's Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility reaffirms the Government's commitment to developing Australia's critical minerals sector and Butcherbird's economic importance to Australia and the Pilbara region of WA,' E25 managing director Justin Brown said. 'Our feasibility studies have confirmed Butcherbird's pedigree as a long-life manganese concentrate production hub from its 274 million tonne resource, which is integral to our plans for HPMSM in the US as well as potentially other locations around the world. 'This support from NAIF is critical to our plans to expand Butcherbird to meet this growing demand as the world continues to shift towards electrification and energy transition.' Mr Brown said rechargeable batteries could use as much as 10 times more manganese if battery chemistry shifts towards lithium manganese rich chemistries. Car manufacturers have shown an interest in such chemistries. NAIF's investment in E25 comes less than four months after local mineral sands miner Strandline Resources fell into administration. The shares of ASX-listed Strandline, which counts the Coburn heavy mineral sands project near Shark Bay as its key asset, were in suspension for more than a year before its collapse. The West Australian revealed in January that the NAIF would likely take a haircut on its debts as Strandline's single biggest financier. Administrators are currently trying to sell the fallen business. NAIF was originally set up to back infrastructure projects in remote regions across WA, Queensland and the Northern Territory, particularly in areas with high Aboriginal populations. But a dearth of those types of projects led NAIF to broaden its scope to include more mining developments, which has caused some notable dramas. Potash producer Kalium Lakes went bankrupt in August 2023 after NAIF had loaned more than $80m. NAIF had also pledged to give $140m to Australia Potash, which like Kalium went under, but this loan did not proceed before the miner collapsed.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Australia's Element 25 secures $32.6 million in government debt to build out manganese mine
(Reuters) -Australian manganese producer Element 25 said on Tuesday the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) has agreed to provide a senior debt facility of up to A$50 million ($32.57 million) for the firm's Western Australia project. Shares of the producer jumped as much as 10.3% to A$0.215 in early trade. The funding comes as manganese is set for growing demand from the electric vehicle industry. General Motors and battery partner LG Energy Solution said last month they are planning to start commercial production of lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery chemistry at a U.S. facility starting in 2028. GM said the chemistry is lower cost than the nickel-rich cells used today, but will still give customers the range they want in future electric trucks and full-size SUVs. NAIF will provide the funding for the company's Butcherbird Manganese Expansion Project located in the Pilbara region, while Element 25 continues to explore additional funding through other sources including offtake prepayment. The facility will support the miner's plans to expand Butcherbird's production capacity to 1.1 million tonnes per annum of manganese oxide concentrate. This will further enable the project to supply manganese concentrate feedstock for Element 25's planned battery grade, high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate processing (HPMSM) facility, which it plans to build in Louisiana, in the United States. "Our feasibility studies have confirmed Butcherbird's pedigree as a long-life manganese concentrate production hub from its 274 million tonne resource, which is integral to our plans for HPMSM in the USA as well as potentially other locations around the world," said Element 25's managing director Justin Brown. Element 25 is also considering other geographies, including Tokyo, to build processing hubs for the critical mineral that is set for growing demand from the electric vehicle sector, Brown added. The firm said it is also in discussions with a number of potential financiers for the balance of the required project finance. ($1 = 1.5352 Australian dollars) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
07-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Why nonalcoholic beer is on track to become the world's second-largest beer category
Why nonalcoholic beer is on track to become the world's second-largest beer category Show Caption Hide Caption Debate over limiting alcohol service on flights gains attention | Cruising Altitude Ryanair's CEO has sparked debate by suggesting a strict limit on alcohol service at airlines and airports. Could this policy really take off? Justin Brown purchased his first nonalcoholic beer last winter, after spotting a six-pack of Athletic Brewing Company cans on sale at his local grocery store in Salt Lake City. Brown leads an active lifestyle filled with rock climbing, trail runs and chasing after his two kids, but the 37-year-old craft beer fan said he's increasingly health conscious as he grows older. The Athletic Brewing Co. beer's low calorie count – just 45 per can – was a major draw, along with having the chance to enjoy the taste of beer for less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. Brown said he still enjoys his craft beers, but nonalcoholic beers have worked their way into the rotation. '(It) has been top of mind as I grow into my late 30s, going to 40s, making sure I'm here for my children and taking care of myself,' Brown told USA TODAY while at a public pool, sipping on a nonalcoholic beer and watching his kids swim. 'I think people, as millennials, we're all trying to stay young, stay fit, stay healthy, and the nonalcoholic beer trend kind of fits within that ethos.' It's a trend taking off across global markets. Beverage industry analysis firm IWSR found nonalcoholic beer volume jumped 9% in 2024 despite a 1% dip in global beverage alcohol volume. At this pace, nonalcoholic beer is forecast to surpass ale as the second-largest beer category by volume worldwide this year, behind only lagers. 'I would have expected that as alcohol holistically struggles in this current climate, this nonalcoholic beer at the very least would slow its growth. And yet we're not seeing that," Marten Lodewijks, President of IWSR U.S., told USA TODAY. As of 2024, nonalcoholic beer ranked No. 3 by IWSR by making up 2% of global volume, outranking wheat beers (1%) and stouts (1%). The beer faces a colossal gap below lagers, which is by far the largest beer category at 92% of global volume. Nonalcoholic beer sales are up Nonalcoholic beer sales have been on an upward trend since 2018, led by major markets like the U.S., Japan and Germany, according to IWSR data. Between 2019 and 2024, nonalcoholic beer volume in the U.S. grew 175%, propelling the country's ranking from the category's sixth-largest market to third-largest. It's gotten popular enough for Glen Fox, Anheuser-Busch endowed professor of malting and brewing sciences at the University of California, Davis, to add nonalcoholic beer to his teaching program this year. "We're brewing our own nonalcoholic beer for the students to look at, to get that experience," Fox said. "We want to be sure that we understand the process, educate the new brewers, so that they have a good understanding before they go and get a job in the industry." Why is nonalcoholic beer becoming more popular? Experts pointed to waning alcohol sales and growing health concerns as major drivers. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in January released an advisory warning of the direct link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk. That same month, advertising and sales measurement technology firm NCSolutions released a survey that found 49% of Americans planned to drink less in 2025, up from 41% in 2024. With roughly 0.5% alcohol by volume among most brands, nonalcoholic beer has proved to be an appealing alternative. Especially as the messaging around nonalcoholic beer has shifted to broaden its appeal, according to Dave Williams, vice president of analytics and insight for Bump Williams Consulting, a Connecticut firm that specializes in the alcoholic beverage industry. No longer is the drink viewed as the humdrum option for people who can't consume alcohol, whether that's because they're in recovery or pregnant, he said. "They broke down the stigma surrounding holding a nonalcoholic beer or beverage. ... There is a whole crop of consumers out there that are showing interest in this nonalcoholic alternative," Williams said. 'Now, you can still enjoy beer, feel like you're part of the moment, part of the group, part of the occasion, without having to incorporate any of your perceived objections or obstacles to the alcoholic side of it.' What are Americans drinking in 2025? Consumers are chasing moderation. And unlike regular beer, Lodewijks noted nonalcoholic beers can be sipped during a lunch break at work or – as demonstrated by Brown – public settings that are typically alcohol-free. More variety has likely helped, with new entrants like Athletic Brewing Co., which launched in 2018, and nonalcoholic alternatives to most of the top beer brands, including Heineken 0.0 and Corona Non-alcoholic. Fox of the University of California, Davis, said the taste has also come a long way compared with nonalcoholic beers sold 50 years ago. 'The process at the time removed some flavor when they removed the alcohol,' he said. 'But with the engineering and the way we can brew these now, that's a thing of the past. There are really tasty, flavorsome, nonalcoholic beers.' Fox warned that if choosing nonalcoholic beer, it's better to buy canned or bottled. The alcohol in beer acts as a preservative that prevents the growth of microbes; with less alcohol, nonalcoholic beer served on draft can be more susceptible to spoilage and pathogens. 'You're relying on the pub to keep their lines clean,' he said. 'Be careful getting if you're getting it off the tap. Ask questions about how old it is, when they cleaned their line.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Brown Brothers Media Acquires DMNews, Names Co-Founder Justin Brown as Editor-in-Chief
SINGAPORE, May 22, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Brown Brothers Media Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based digital media company, proudly announces its acquisition of DMNews ( a leading platform for self-improvement and lifestyle content, effective February 15, 2025. In a move underscoring the strategic importance of DMNews to its portfolio, Brown Brothers Media has appointed co-founder Justin Brown as editor-in-chief of the platform. Brown Brothers Media, founded in 2020, reaches over 50 million monthly pageviews across its digital publications, focusing on personal development, mindfulness, and business insights. Its data-driven, high-quality content resonates globally, driven by organic reach through Google Discover and search. DMNews delivers motivational content on mindset, wellness, and relationships, empowering readers with practical insights. Its alignment with Brown Brothers Media's mission makes it a cornerstone of the company's expansion. Justin Brown's appointment as editor-in-chief signals Brown Brothers Media's commitment to elevating DMNews's impact. "DMNews is a vital addition to our portfolio," said Justin Brown. "As editor-in-chief, I'm excited to steer its growth, delivering content that inspires and empowers." This strategic acquisition strengthens Brown Brothers Media's portfolio, enhancing its mission to deliver impactful, high-quality content to a global audience. Visit for more on Brown Brothers Media and for DMNews. About Brown Brothers MediaFounded in 2020 in Singapore, Brown Brothers Media delivers high-quality content in personal development and business, reaching 50 million monthly pageviews with a global team. About DMNewsDMNews is a trusted source for self-improvement content, offering insights on wellness, career, and relationships to empower its readers. View source version on Contacts Media Contact Isabel CabreraBrown Brothers MediaEmail: isabel@ Address: 80 Robinson Road, #14-02, Singapore 068898Website:
