Matthew Allas On A $10-Billion Opportunity To Mine Manganese In New Brunswick

The mining of minerals like manganese is critical to the transition to a clean energy future that includes the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and generating electricity from solar and wind farms.

On this week's "Insights" podcast, Don Mills and David Campbell continue a series of interviews with leaders in the mining sector across Atlantic Canada. They are joined by Matthew Allas, President and CEO of the Canadian Manganese Company, to talk about a large deposit of manganese located in the Woodstock area.

As it stands, China produces more than 90 percent of the world’s manganese and almost all of it stays there for use in the production of a wide variety of products including electric vehicles and batteries.

The Woodstock project is one of the largest deposits of manganese in the world. As North American firms look to develop EVs, batteries and other products to help the world reach its net zero 2050 commitment, New Brunswick could play an important role.

Allas tells us about the size of the opportunity and the timing and potential roadblocks to getting the mine into production. He says this could be a multigenerational economic opportunity that creates hundreds of high-paying jobs and tens of millions in royalty revenue each year for the provincial government.

You can listen to their conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.

The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.

Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.