Manganese
A Critical Mineral for Steel, Batteries and National Security
Manganese is one of the most important industrial minerals in the world. While it receives less attention than metals such as lithium or copper, modern society could not function without it.
The United States classifies manganese as a critical mineral because it is essential to the economy and national security, yet the country remains almost entirely dependent on imported supply.
Essential for Steel Production
Approximately 85–90% of manganese consumption is used in steelmaking.
During steel production, manganese removes oxygen and sulphur while improving strength, hardness, toughness and wear resistance. There is currently no practical substitute capable of performing all of these functions.
Manganese-containing steel is used throughout the economy, including:
- Buildings and commercial construction
- Bridges and transportation infrastructure
- Pipelines and energy projects
- Heavy equipment and manufacturing
- Railways
- Defence equipment, ships and military vehicles
Without manganese, it would not be possible to reliably produce the grades of steel required for modern infrastructure or national defence.
Securing Domestic Supply
Although manganese is essential to American manufacturing, the United States has not operated commercial manganese mines since the early 1970s and remains approximately 100% net import reliant for manganese ore.
This dependence leaves domestic supply chains vulnerable to geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, shipping disruptions and foreign government policies. As a result, manganese continues to appear on the U.S. Government’s list of Critical Minerals and remains an important focus of efforts to strengthen domestic mineral supply chains.
Supporting the Energy Transition
In addition to steelmaking, manganese is becoming increasingly important in lithium-ion battery technologies.
Battery chemistries containing manganese—including NMC, LMFP and emerging high-manganese cathodes—are being developed to improve performance while reducing reliance on more expensive materials such as nickel and cobalt.
High-purity manganese products are expected to play an increasingly important role in electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage and advanced battery manufacturing.
Why Manganese Matters
Manganese supports both the physical infrastructure and the clean energy technologies that underpin modern economies.
From the steel used to build cities and transportation networks to the batteries powering electric vehicles and energy storage systems, manganese is an essential material whose strategic importance continues to grow.
Prince Silver Advantage
The Prince Silver Project hosts significantmineralization within a large polymetallic carbonate replacement system in Nevada. As exploration advances, the Company continues to evaluate the scale and continuity of this mineralization while advancing a project with exposure to multiple metals that are critical to modern industry, infrastructure and economic growth.