Australian company Mako Gold has discovered a first-rate manganese deposit in Cote d'Ivoire's Ouangolodougou region. Ten reverse circulation (RC) boreholes were drilled into the ground, and manganese was found in eight of them.
"We drilled fourteen kilometers straight line and drilled 10 holes, we have pretty good samples on there. We're pretty excited about that" explained Peter Ledwidge, Mako Gold's CEO, on YouTube.
A crucial mineral
This discovery once again highlights the richness of Africa's subsoil, which harbors many minerals that are now essential to the energy transition. Manganese, for example, is used to reinforce the blades of wind turbines. It is also used in the composition of new-generation batteries, offering extended autonomy.
"Manganese is commonly used in batteries. The Chinese actually have recently developed a manganese-lithium battery offering 1,000 kilometers of autonomy, instead of 500. Manganese is definitely a critical mineral, and will probably be the 'new lithium'," said Ledwidge.
Cote d'Ivoire has four manganese mines and has been a key player in the sector for several years. The country sold $126 million worth of the mineral in 2021, becoming the world's sixth-largest exporter. Manganese was the country's 13th most exported resource that year, according to data from the OEC.
Many observers have already stressed the importance of African resources in implementing the energy transition. The continent possesses the eleven key elements that will enable the world to make the transition to a green economy, according to a recent study by the NGO Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI).