South Africa has one of the world's largest manganese reserves. So why does it outsource for processing?

On delivery day at an industrial complex in Mbombela, South Africa, truckloads of manganese ore are processed. Manganese is essential in steel and battery production. South Africa possesses the largest manganese reserves globally, but only a small percentage is locally processed. The Manganese Metal Company aims to address this gap. The company receives around 80,000 metric tons of manganese annually to produce high-grade electrolytic manganese metal (EMM), a critical alloy component for steel manufacturing. The CEO notes the increasing demand for refined manganese due to the rise in electric vehicle (EV) sales and the need for batteries. Approximately 2% of manganese is used for batteries, with just 1% for rechargeable ones. The chemistry combination of lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt oxide (NMC) dominates the market share for lithium-ion batteries, providing some thermal stability and affordability. However, manufacturing batteries with manganese faces challenges in the form of obtaining high-purity manganese sulfate. Despite these obstacles, the Manganese Metal Company plans to build a commercial plant to produce battery-grade manganese sulfate. The company anticipates completing the plant within 18 months and entering the market by the end of 2026. The potential for job creation and economic growth make the availability of this metal advantageous. Beyond steel and batteries, manganese is also vital in green power technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines, wastewater treatment, and pollution extraction from soil and air.