South Africa’s manganese advantage presents opportunities for beneficiation and reindustrialisation

I had the opportunity to speak at Project Blue’s Critical Materials Conference: Ferroalloys 2026 in Johannesburg, where I shared my views on South Africa’s manganese advantage and the opportunities it presents for beneficiation and reindustrialisation.

South Africa is home to more than 70% of the world’s known manganese resources, placing the country in a unique position to benefit from growing global demand for manganese in traditional steelmaking applications as well as emerging technologies. Yet our competitive advantage extends beyond the resource itself. The real opportunity lies in creating more value locally through beneficiation and downstream industrial activity.

During my presentation, I highlighted the importance of improving rail and port performance to support exports and unlock greater value from South Africa’s mineral endowment. Reliable logistics remain a critical enabler of growth and competitiveness.

I also discussed the need for a transparent and predictable electricity pricing framework to support beneficiation and other energy-intensive industries. Competitive energy pricing will be an important factor in attracting investment, sustaining industrial capacity and enabling the restart of strategic assets.

Using the planned restart of the Khwelamet manganese alloy smelter as an example, I reflected on the role beneficiation can play in rebuilding industrial capability, creating jobs and strengthening South Africa’s ferroalloys sector.

My view remains that, with competitive electricity pricing, improved logistics and policy certainty, South Africa is well positioned to capture greater value from its mineral resources and strengthen its global competitiveness.

View the presentation below: