In an interview with Energy Capital & Power, Sietse van der Woude, Senior Executive: Modernization and Safety at the Minerals Council, emphasized rising global demand for energy storage as a driver for leveraging South Africa’s manganese reserves.

“With manganese, we can produce manganese sulfide for lithium-ion battery energy storage applications and unlock new prospects for our mining industry,” stated Woude, noting that increasing demand for consumer electronics, such as mobile phones, creates significant opportunities for stakeholders in the rare earths sector.

To address challenges and opportunities in critical minerals extraction, the Minerals Council is conducting a study under the Mandela Mining Precinct, a public-private partnership with the government.

“The aim is to understand these critical minerals, the risks associated with them and how to maximize in-country processing,” said Woude.

The findings are expected to guide research and development initiatives, fostering collaboration between private and public investors to unlock the full potential of South Africa’s critical minerals sector.