Announcement PDF ASX ANNOUNCEMENT 24 June 2025 LEADING GLOBAL BATTERY EXPERT KEN HOFFMAN TO JOIN FIREBIRD AS SPECIAL ADVISOR TO BOARD HIGHLIGHTS • Leading global battery expert Ken Hoffman to join Firebird Metals as special advisor • Mr Hoffman was previously the Global Head of Battery Materials at McKinsey & Company, where he advised on strategic planning, supply chain integration, and capital raising for clients across the global battery value chain • Mr Hoffman will advise and assist the Firebird executive specifically with strategy to expand the Company’s activities into Western markets • Strong structural growth in demand for high-purity manganese chemicals, driven by current increasing adoption of LMFP and emerging LMR cathode technologies. Recent GM and Ford announcements confirm LMR as a key focus for future EV platforms • Very few cost effective high-purity manganese sulphate projects exist outside China, underscoring the need for new and efficient technologies Mr Ken Hoffman commented: “For many years, I’ve recognised that manganese will be the most critical battery material, replacing more niche metals like nickel and cobalt while improving densities of LFP cells. The technology identified by Firebird has the potential to revolutionise the entire manganese chemical supply chain in the battery chemistry. “I’m excited to join the Firebird team and look forward to working with Peter and Wei to advance their bold ‘ore to cathode’ vision, with a key focus on manganese-based cathode materials. I truly believe manganese has a very bright future in battery chemistries!” Firebird Managing Director Mr Peter Allen commented: “We are delighted to welcome Ken as Special Advisor to the Board. He brings a wealth of industry knowledge and strategic insight across battery technology, supply chain development, and investment strategy. Ken’s expertise will be instrumental as we advance our development pathway and strengthen Firebird’s position in the battery materials sector.” The Company’s strategy remains focused on delivering fully integrated processing solutions for manganese-rich cathode materials. Our R&D centre and initial operations will be established in China, leveraging the country’s global leadership in cathode material development and production as the ideal strategic foundation for our business. Our long-term objective is to replicate these activities in Western markets through the deployment of advanced technology and the establishment of localised production facilities. Suite 38, 460 Stirling Highway Peppermint Grove WA 6011 ABN: 24 610 035 535 +61 8 6245 9818 admin@firebirdmetals.com.au ASX:FRB www.firebirdmetals.com.au Australian-owned Firebird Metals Limited (ASX: FRB, Firebird or the Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Ken Hoffman as Special Advisor to the Board. Mr Hoffman is a globally recognised expert in battery materials, with over 30 years of experience across investment management, energy, and the metals and mining sectors. He previously served as Global Head of Battery Materials at McKinsey & Company, where he led strategic planning, supply chain integration, and capital-raising initiatives for clients across the global battery value chain. Ken has conducted over 100 due diligence assessments on battery technologies and critical mineral assets and has developed AI-based evaluation frameworks for leading industry stakeholders. Prior to his tenure at McKinsey, Ken was Global Head of Metals & Mining Research at Bloomberg and held senior investment roles as Portfolio Manager and Global Director of Research at major funds including Millennium Partners and MarCap Investors. Global demand for high-purity manganese chemicals is entering a period of structural growth, driven by the rapid adoption of LMFP and the emerging shift toward LMR cathode technologies. These manganese-rich chemistries provide a cost-effective, high-performance alternative to traditional ternary batteries. Recent announcements from GM and Ford underscore this transition, with both automakers advancing LMR battery production as part of their nextgeneration EV strategies. However, there is currently very limited high-purity manganese sulphate production capacity outside of China, highlighting the urgent need for diversified and scalable supply to meet this growing demand. This marks a significant turning point for manganese, reinforcing its critical role in the future of battery materials The Company looks forward to hosting an investor webinar in the coming weeks to provide a corporate update and to introduce Ken. Further details will be provided in due course. Mr Hoffman will be granted incentive securities as part of his consulting agreement with the Company, details of which are set out in Appendix 1, with other engagement terms being customary for an agreement of this type. This announcement has been approved for release by the Board. For further information contact: Mr Peter Allen Managing Director +61 8 6245 9818 admin@firebirdmetals.com.au Suite 38, 460 Stirling Highway Peppermint Grove WA 6011 ABN: 24 610 035 535 +61 8 6245 9818 admin@firebirdmetals.com.au ASX:FRB www.firebirdmetals.com.au Appendix 1: Incentive Securities Tranche Vesting Condition 1 Sign on Performance Rights 200,000 2 30-day VWAP of Firebird shares of 15c or greater 1,000,000 3 30-day VWAP of Firebird shares of 30c or greater 1,000,000 4 Introduction of cornerstone strategic investor 1,000,000 Suite 38, 460 Stirling Highway Peppermint Grove WA 6011 ABN: 24 610 035 535 Number +61 8 6245 9818 admin@firebirdmetals.com.au ASX:FRB www.firebirdmetals.com.au About Firebird Metals Limited Firebird Metals is an advanced manganese developer focused on combining mining and downstream processing with a dedication to the advancement of the EV battery sector. The Company is currently progressing its unique China-focused lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery strategy, which will develop Firebird into a near-term producer of highpurity, battery-grade manganese sulphate, a key cathode material in LMFP batteries for electric vehicles. Execution of this strategy will place Firebird at the forefront of manganese sulphate production, at a time when the use and demand for manganese in batteries continues to rapidly grow. Due to the low number of ASX-manganese developers and increasing use of LMFP by car manufacturers, Firebird is in a strong position to benefit from this growing market and deliver significant value to its shareholder base. The Company also has a project portfolio located in the renowned East Pilbara manganese province of Western Australia, which boasts a total Resource of 234Mt1,2, with exciting exploration and development growth upside. The portfolio is led by the flagship Oakover Project, which holds a Mineral Resource Estimate of 176.7 Mt at 9.9% Mn, with 105.8 Mt at 10.1% Mn in an Indicated category. The Company’s other key project is Hill 616 which provides Firebird with a compelling growth opportunity. Hill 616 contains an Inferred Mineral Resource of 57.5Mt at 12.2% Mn and shares similar geological traits to Oakover. The Company is committed to generating sustainable long-term value and growth for stakeholders, through the implementation of best practice exploration methods while prioritising the well-being, health and environmental protection of its employees and communities it operates in. JORC Compliance Statement This announcement contains references to Mineral Resource Estimates, which have been reported in compliance with Listing Rule 5.8 and extracted from previous ASX announcements as referenced. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information previously reported and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the Mineral Resource Estimates continue to apply and have not materially changed. See ASX announcement dated 23 March 2023: Indicated Resource of 105.8Mt at 10.1%; Inferred Resource of 70.9Mt at 9.6% for global Resource of 176.7 Mt at 9.9% Mn. 2 See ASX announcement dated 1 December 2021: Inferred Resource of 57.5 Mt at 12.2% Mn. 1 Suite 38, 460 Stirling Highway Peppermint Grove WA 6011 ABN: 24 610 035 535 +61 8 6245 9818 admin@firebirdmetals.com.au ASX:FRB www.firebirdmetals.com.au