Future Lithium Boom in SE Manitoba?

[balletomane]

I think this has already been discussed on here briefly, somewhere in the forum.

https://steinbachonline.com/local/my...ing-more-clear
https://steinbachonline.com/local/my...-to-start-soon
So sounds like the first exploratory drilling took place this summer.

I know little of the Lithium industry and what its discovery and mining could entail in terms of development and growth for communities like Steinbach. It sounds like the lithium mines in Western Australia have spurred quite the boom for those cities (Perth has grown from 1.2 million to 2.0 million in the past 25 years). So let's suppose that this exploratory work has good results and the company determines that it should invest in the region, and that this 'mystery mineral' is in fact lithium. What could this mean in terms of development and growth for communities like Steinbach and Winnipeg? With the electric vehicle industry likely to really take off in the coming years could a lithium boom in SE Manitoba be our equivalent to Alberta's oil boom? Could we see Winnipeg turn into a Calgary and Steinbach into a Fort McMurray (but with more diversified economies)? Or am I overestimating the possible effects of lithium mining?

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by balletomane

I think this has already been discussed on here briefly, somewhere in the forum.

https://steinbachonline.com/local/my...ing-more-clear
https://steinbachonline.com/local/my...-to-start-soon
So sounds like the first exploratory drilling took place this summer.

I know little of the Lithium industry and what its discovery and mining could entail in terms of development and growth for communities like Steinbach. It sounds like the lithium mines in Western Australia have spurred quite the boom for those cities (Perth has grown from 1.2 million to 2.0 million in the past 25 years). So let's suppose that this exploratory work has good results and the company determines that it should invest in the region, and that this 'mystery mineral' is in fact lithium. What could this mean in terms of development and growth for communities like Steinbach and Winnipeg? With the electric vehicle industry likely to really take off in the coming years could a lithium boom in SE Manitoba be our equivalent to Alberta's oil boom? Could we see Winnipeg turn into a Calgary and Steinbach into a Fort McMurray (but with more diversified economies)? Or am I overestimating the possible effects of lithium mining?

There has been ZERO boom in Perth associated with Lithium Mines. The boom was 99% due to Iron ore mines in WA.

Any Lithium mines will be smaller affairs maybe resulting in a few hundred or a couple of thousand jobs max. Lithium mines tend to be smaller more concentrated mines, not like oil/gas/coal etc....

[James Gablan]

Lithium mines are similar to solution potash mines. Once operating they employ a few dozen people. it would definitely be good for a place like Steinbach but nothing transformative. At best it would be like adding a town like Esterhazy.

[roryn1]

Originally Posted by James Gablan

Lithium mines are similar to solution potash mines. Once operating they employ a few dozen people. it would definitely be good for a place like Steinbach but nothing transformative. At best it would be like adding a town like Esterhazy.

Most of Yorkton’s growth last 30 years is due to the Esterhazy mine expansion

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by roryn1

Most of Yorkton’s growth last 30 years is due to the Esterhazy mine expansion

Going back to 1981, 36 years in total. Yorkton has gained about 1,000 in population. Not a huge boom by any means.