This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s interim financial statements and the associated management’s discussion and analysis (MD&A) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 which are available on the Company’s website at www.CanadianManganese.com or under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com.
Manganese Battery Demand Expected to Grow
Manganese has been defined by the Canadian and US governments as a strategic metal that is essential for national defense, aerospace, technology, and energy that is highly susceptible to supply interruptions due to the lack of domestic production. The US has included manganese at number 19 on its list of 35 critical minerals. Currently there is no primary manganese mine production in the USA or Canada and 100% of the electrolytic manganese metal that is consumed in North America and Europe is imported from other countries, most notably from China, which controls over 95% of the global supply, and from South Africa—the only other producer outside of China.
Manganese is a key component in the formulations of the cathode material used in high-performance lithium-ion batteries, and in utility bulk energy storage facilities, which are expected to create strong demand for high-purity manganese products.
Advancements in electric vehicle manufacturing are transforming the entire global automobile industry and driving increased battery demand and it has been suggested that one third of all new cars sold worldwide could be electric by the end of the decade. The Li ion battery market is growing exponentially with projected increased production of electric vehicles. NMC (nickel/manganese/cobalt) batteries are becoming the most widely used rechargeable battery for next-generation automotive and industrial uses. Manganese battery demand is expected to grow strongly.
At Tesla Battery Day on September 22, 2020, Tesla announced that it intends to use a nickel-manganese [NM] cathode/battery (2/3 nickel, 1/3 manganese) for its mid-range vehicles. Previously Tesla only used nickel-cobalt-alumina [NCA] for its cathodes, with no manganese. Tesla’s deployment of manganese in its batteries is expected to drive an increase in high-purity manganese demand.
Woodstock Battery Manganese Project
Canadian Manganese holds the Woodstock manganese property In New Brunswick containing the Plymouth manganese-iron deposit that hosts an Inferred Resource of 44,770,000 tonnes grading 9.85% manganese and on which a positive preliminary economic assessment, NI 43-101 technical report (“PEA”) was completed in 2014,
Manganese at the Woodstock Plymouth Deposit predominately occurs as a manganese carbonate. Manganese carbonates are preferred, relative to higher-grade manganese oxide feed materials, for production of high-purity manganese metals. Canadian Manganese Woodstock deposit is believed to be the largest manganese carbonate (rhodochrosite) resource in North America and one of the largest in the world outside China.
Canadian Manganese Woodstock property is located in Carleton County, five km west of the town of Woodstock, in west-central New Brunswick. The property is well situated with respect to infrastructure and is located less than 4 kilometres west of the Trans-Canada Highway and less than one kilometre north of US Interstate Highway I-95 to Houlton, Maine. Access to the property is available by New Brunswick Provincial Government maintained paved roads extending from the main Trans-Canada Highway network.
Canadian Manganese plans to continue further evaluation and development work on its Woodstock’s deposit and seek opportunities in the Li-ion battery industry to unlock Woodstock’s potential. It is anticipated that such programs will include a market assessment for these commodities, as well as additional metallurgical test work as may be required to demonstrate production of high-purity manganese chemicals and compounds.
Canadian Manganese plans to take steps to apply for a stock exchange listing, subject to market and trading conditions and obtaining any necessary approvals, on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE).
FINANCIAL RESULTS
The Company recorded no revenue in the three or nine months ended September 30, 2020 or September 30, 2019.
For the three-month period ended September 30, 2020, the Company recorded a loss of $18,328, compared to a loss of $15,281 for the three-month period ended September 30, 2019.
For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, the Company recorded a loss of $28,421, compared to a loss of $35,631 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019.
Canadian Manganese’s working capital is dependent upon the successful closing of a planned private placement of Canadian Manganese shares to undertake work programs to further evaluate the Woodstock Project as a possible open pit mine and processing facility to supply high-purity manganese products for the rechargeable battery industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widespread health crisis that has adversely affected economies and financial markets, resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect the Company and its ability to finance its planned operations.
ABOUT CANADIAN MANGANESE
Canadian Manganese is a Canadian mineral development company aiming to become a supplier of high-purity electrolytic manganese metal products for the rechargeable battery industry.
Enquiries: investors@canadianmanganese.com
John F. Kearney: Chairman & Chief Executive +1 416 362 6686
Danesh Varma: Chief Financial Officer + 44 (0)77409 32766
Additional information on Canadian Manganese Company Inc. is available at www.CanadianManganese.com
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to, but not limited to, the Company’s expectations, intentions, plans and beliefs. Forward-looking information can often be identified by forward-looking words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “goal”, “plan”, “intend”, “estimate”, “may” and “will” or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information may include reserve and resource estimates, estimates of future production, unit costs, costs of capital projects and timing of commencement of operations, and is based on current expectations that involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to, failure to establish estimated resources and reserves the grade and recovery of ore which is mined varying from estimates, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, delays in the development of projects changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, inflation and other factors. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. Shareholders and prospective investors should be aware that these statements are subject to known and unknown risks uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. Shareholders are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. By its nature, forward-looking information involves numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and various future events will not occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law.