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Mail & Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
The global race for critical minerals is on. Where is South Africa?
The area around Hotazel in the Northern Cape contains much of the world's known deposits of manganese. Geopolitical tensions over critical minerals have become the focus of the global energy transition. The worldwide shift toward decarbonisation has transformed industrial strategy while reshaping worldwide power dynamics through control of strategic resources. The United States, together with the European Union and China, are racing to secure supply chains that power clean energy technologies, including electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The US's Inflation Reduction Act supports domestic manufacturing through incentives that transform worldwide trade patterns. The EU implements the Critical Raw Materials Act because of similar emergency conditions while building alliances with African nations to diversify mineral supplies and reduce strategic dependencies. China moved first and strategically built up its mineral treatment and component assembly capabilities while leaving other nations to pursue substitute development and protection against excessive dependency. Other nations have taken strategic positions to secure critical mineral supply chain security along with these major powers. Canada and Greenland maintain active development of their critical mineral resources and Ukraine holds strategic lithium deposits, which will serve to reduce dependency on Chinese supply networks. The world witnesses a broader shift where countries establish mineral accessibility according to their geopolitical and security goals. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, a leading global supplier of cobalt for high-density batteries and coltan for capacitors for high-tech systems, entered negotiations for a strategic agreement with the US in March 2025 that seeks to grant the US exclusive rights to extract the country's critical minerals. This proposed partnership reflects a broader trend of resource-rich African nations leveraging their mineral resources to create powerful international partnerships which secure long-term industrial and geopolitical benefits. South Africa possesses platinum group metals together with manganese and vanadium, which makes it a prime candidate to lead the worldwide energy transition through renewable energy and electric vehicle batteries. The government allocated R1 billion in March 2025 to bring in R30 billion private investments which will establish electric vehicle manufacturing by 2035. During its G20 presidency South Africa is concentrating on developing local processing facilities for critical minerals to enable resource-rich nations to gain monetary benefits from their natural resources. To achieve its potential, South Africa needs to resolve fragmented institutional mandates along with infrastructural impediments and inconsistent regulatory frameworks. The EU dedicated R490 million to support South Africa's green hydrogen industry in 2024. The question remains whether foreign investments will establish industrial autonomy in South Africa or pander to external supply chain requirements. True strategic autonomy requires more than hosting production facilities; it demands control of technology at the local level combined with manufacturing value addition capabilities and stronger export negotiation power. To reduce overdependence and increase strategic influence means South Africa needs to expand global alliances outside the conventional Western and Eastern blocs. South Africa can create value chains that are more robust and focused on Africa by interacting with rising countries, regional allies, and international forums. Geopolitical hedging will enable South Africa to protect against external shocks while ensuring mineral benefits produce enduring industrial and economic value by increasing its strategic options. According to the 2025 US Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries report, the US has identified 50 minerals which serve both economic operations and clean energy transformation. South Africa ranks as a leading global producer of at least 15 of the critical minerals, which include rare earth elements along with platinum group metals, vanadium, manganese, and chromium. These critical minerals needed for clean energy and advanced industrial use face major supply issues. The USGS does not mention South Africa in its report yet its mineral reserves make it an essential player in the shifting global mineral landscape. South Africa needs to ensure its mineral engagements support a geopolitical hedging strategy that protects national sovereignty while creating regional processing facilities, developing domestic manufacturing, and enhancing Africa's position in clean energy value chains. A strategic and coordinated approach needs to be implemented by South Africa to achieve this potential. First, a sovereign beneficiation fund would serve as an effective risk management tool to protect investments made by private parties in mineral processing and component manufacturing operations. A public capital-based fund would help bring in private and development finance to effectively link resource extraction to industrial production. The fund would need to select projects which increase domestic value creation while allowing technology exchange and establishing local production facilities. High-value component localisation would need to be incentivised as a necessary second step. The following incentives are potential options to localise high-value components: export refunds for value-added commodities, preferred procurement of local components, and tax incentives for regional processing facility investments. Long-term research together with talent development and local supplier integration should receive support from these incentives to drive industrial growth. Third, improving interdepartmental interaction is essential. The government's economic cluster oversees economic matters but the critical minerals sector needs departments to work together to execute policy — mineral and petroleum resources to work together with trade, industry and competition; electricity and energy; science and technology; and the treasury. The establishment of an inter-ministerial council dedicated to critical minerals will enable South Africa to join global value chains through unified strategy development, process optimisation, and policy unification. The African Continental Free Trade Area offers regional cooperation opportunities to build processing centres and merge infrastructure while strengthening Africa's united bargaining power. Using complimentary abilities may promote cooperation rather than competition in Southern Africa. In April 2025, China enforced strict export controls on seven rare earth elements together with related magnets. These materials serve as fundamental components for creating advanced defence technologies along with wind turbines and electric vehicles. The trade measure has intensified worldwide market conflicts while revealing potential breakdowns in supply chains to industries around the world. The recent developments demonstrate why South Africa needs to develop local value chains and increase processing capabilities and reduce its exposure to external threats. The approval of South Africa's Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy and the gazetting of the Mineral Resources Development Bill of 2025 represent a major policy transformation that unlocks industrial capabilities. The minister of mineral and petroleum resources announced on 20 May that the strategy defined platinum along with manganese, iron ore, coal and chrome ore as high-critical minerals followed by vanadium, palladium, rhodium, gold and rare earth elements as moderate to high criticality. The strategy includes six strategic pillars which aim to establish resilient value chains and industrial ecosystems that link to clean energy technologies through exploration, local beneficiation, research and development investment, infrastructure development, financial support mechanisms and regulatory harmonisation. The strategy supports South African objectives to move past mining operations through the development of local talent and regional alliances for creating industrial inputs of high value. It provides an essential framework that enables mineral resource utilisation to achieve enduring economic stability and national strategic autonomy. The competition for critical minerals in the global market extends beyond resources to determine how economic relationships will be governed in the future. South Africa controls the necessary mineral resources while having defined appropriate policy directions. The main obstacle is to convert this potential into strategic influence and enduring economic resilience through purposeful coordinated actions. LebohangMafokosi is a public servant while pursuing her Master of Management in Energy Leadership degree at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Euro Manganese Announces Closing Dates for Financing
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 22, 2025) - Euro Manganese Inc. (TSXV: EMN) (ASX: EMN) (FSE: E060) (the 'Company' or 'Euro Manganese') is pleased to announce that, following approval by its shareholders at its Annual General and Special Meeting (ASGM) held on May 15, 2025, the Company expects to close its previously announced C$11.2 million (A$12.3 million) financing (the 'Financing'), consisting of (i) a private placement of common shares and CHESS Depositary Interests (the 'CDIs') in the capital of the Company of C$9.8 million (approximately A$10.8 million) and (ii) a Share Purchase Plan with certain eligible shareholders in the amount of A$1.5 million (approximately C$1.4 million) early in the week of May 26, 2025. Please see the Company's press releases dated March 6, 2025 and April 1, 2025 for additional details regarding the Financing. And press release dated May 15, 2025 for ASGM results. Closing of the Financing and settlement of the new securities issuable thereunder is expected to occur on or around May 26, 2025 (Vancouver time), with quotation of the new CDIs on ASX to follow on or around May 27, 2025 (Australian time). Authorised for release by the President and CEO of Euro Manganese Inc. About Euro Manganese Euro Manganese is a battery materials company focused on becoming a leading producer of high-purity manganese for the electric vehicle industry. The Company is advancing development of the Chvaletice Manganese Project in the Czech Republic and an early-stage opportunity to produce battery-grade manganese products in Bécancour, Québec. The Chvaletice Project is a unique waste-to-value recycling and remediation opportunity involving reprocessing old tailings from a decommissioned mine. It is also the only sizable resource of manganese in the European Union, strategically positioning the Company to provide battery supply chains with critical raw materials to support the global shift to a circular, low-carbon economy. Euro Manganese is dual listed on the TSX-V and the ASX. Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) or the ASX accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Enquiries LodeRock Advisors Neil Weber Investor and Media Relations - North America +1 (647) 222-0574 [email protected] Jane Morgan Management Jane Morgan Investor and Media Relations - Australia +61 (0) 405 555 618 [email protected] Company Address: #709 -700 West Pender St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6C 1G8 Website: Follow us on: LinkedIn | X | YouTube Click Here to Subscribe to our mailing list for updates Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release constitute 'forward-looking statements' or 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company, its Chvaletice Project, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as 'may', 'would', 'could', 'will', 'intend', 'expect', 'believe', 'plan', 'anticipate', 'estimate', 'scheduled', 'forecast', 'predict' and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will' be taken, occur or be achieved. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Forward looking statements include statements regarding completion of previously announced financing. All forward-looking statements are made based on the Company's current beliefs including various assumptions made by the Company, including that the Chvaletice Project will be developed and operate as planned, the Company will obtain sufficient financing, and that the Company will be able to meet the conditions of its secured financing. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: insufficient working capital; inability to meet the conditions of its secured financing, risks due to granting security, lack of availability of financing for developing and advancing the Chvaletice Project; the potential for unknown or unexpected events to cause contractual conditions to not be satisfied; developments in EV (Electric Vehicles) battery markets and chemistries; risks related to fluctuations in currency exchange rates; and regulation and changes in laws by various governmental agencies. For a further discussion of risks relevant to the Company, see 'Risk Factors' in the Company's annual information form for the year ended September 30, 2024, available on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
South32's manganese mine resumes exports from Groote Eylandt, year after cyclone
South32's Groote Eylandt manganese mine has resumed exports for the first time since severe cyclone damage to its wharf halted operations last year. The Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) mine was badly damaged when Tropical Cyclone Megan hit the Northern Territory island in March 2024. Its wharf was destroyed by a loaded bulk carrier that smashed into the structure during cyclonic winds and high tides. Heavy rainfall also flooded the mine's pits and damaged a critical bridge and several roads. The damage led to GEMCO — a subsidiary of South32 — suspending mining and manganese exports, with the expectation shipments would resume between January and March 2025. In a statement this week, South32 announced export sales had resumed after a "recovery effort of immense scale and complexity". South32 chief operating officer Vanessa Torres told the NT Country Hour the first ship docked at the new wharf on Monday. "That will be the first export of ore from GEMCO over the last year since Cyclone Megan hit," she said. Ms Torres said rebuilding the wharf had been a huge effort, with about 317,000 hours of work involved and the removal of some 970 tonnes of steel and 740 tonnes of concrete. She said the mine's old wharf — constructed 60 years ago — had been completely rebuilt with new technology, making for "a significantly upgraded facility" that could withstand another cyclone event. Ms Torres said GEMCO had been able to retain its workforce of about 1,000 workers throughout the exports suspension period. Local member for Arnhem Selena Uibo said it was "great news" exports were resuming. "The export of manganese off Groote Eylandt will make a huge impact in terms of the territory's economy, but particularly for Groote Eylandt and the income that provides," she said. Ms Torres said the cost of the clean-up and rebuild at the GEMCO mine had not been finalised, but would be revealed when the company provided its annual results to the market. In its 2024 annual report, South32 said the mining halt had cost the company $US93 million ($137 million at the then exchange rate), while repairs to the wharf, a bridge and other infrastructure were expected to cost $US125 million ($184 million). South32 received $555 million in insurance payments for the cyclone damage. In its statement this week, South32 said it expected export sales from the GEMCO mine to increase over the June 2025 quarter and return to "normalised rates" over the 2025-26 financial year.
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
George Town locals are worried about their region's future as smelter limits operations
Liberty Bell Bay, near the northern Tasmanian community of George Town, is Australia's only manganese alloy smelter, and a major employer in the region. On Monday, the company, which has more than 250 full-time workers, announced it would "enter a period of limited operations". Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has called it a period of "care and maintenance". It remains unclear how long it will last. Global ore supply issues, volatile prices, and extensive US tariffs have all been cited as reasons for the decision. And while the company has said there would not be any forced redundancies, locals say any jobs lost will be a hit to the region. Michael Wuksta has lived in George Town for almost three decades. He said Monday's announcement was not the first time the region had braced for the smelter's closure. "But it might be the last time," Mr Wuksta said. In 2019, the smelter's future was in doubt after its former owner, South32, announced it was reviewing its operations, before it was purchased by international company GFG Alliance the following year. Mr Wuksta said if it were to close, it would not be good for the wider community. In February, another GFG-owned entity, the Whyalla steelworks, was forced into administration by the South Australian government due to its failure to pay back its growing debt. The federal government then announced a $2.4 billion joint state-federal support package to protect jobs and ensure the continuation of the steelworks. George Town resident Irene Maynard said the announcement that work would now pause at Liberty Bell Bay had left her surprised. Ms Maynard said employees at the smelter — including her grandson — were upset. "If there's going to be jobs missing, it's going to be pretty bad. "I think the government should step in, but whether they do or not — that's a different thing." Another local, Colin Himmelberger, said the prospect of job losses was scary for the area's future. "And if a couple of hundred people lose their job, it's not going to be very good for the town at all. "It's hard enough to find a job these days without something like this happening. "Where are they going to go?" Mr Rockliff said he understood about 40 Liberty staff would be needed during the care and maintenance phase. "Naturally we're very concerned for the local community, all the employees," he said. In February this year, state-owned energy producer Hydro Tasmania confirmed it had locked in a 10-year power deal to supply electricity to the ferroalloy smelter, which accounts for about 7 per cent of the state's energy usage. Hydro Tasmania's acting chief executive Erin van Maanen at the time said the smelter was "a significant employer in the state" and described the agreement as mutually beneficial. Only a few weeks later, the South Australian government forced Whyalla steelworks into administration. At the time, Tasmanian Greens senator Nick McKim said the federal government should "be prepared to step in and "offer similar assistance" to the state-federal package delivered to Whyalla, should Liberty face the same fate. On Monday, Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres urged Liberty to "provide sufficient support" to keep processing ore, and said he would establish a team within his department to assess the facility's commercial position. Mr Ayres said he would provide the federal and Tasmanian governments with advice over the coming days.
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Liberty Bell Bay smelter in Tasmania's north enters 'limited operations', no 'forced redundancies'
One of the biggest industrial manufacturing employers in Tasmania's north, Liberty Bell Bay, formerly known as TEMCO, has been placed into a period of "limited operations". "Due to ongoing challenges with ore supply, Liberty Bell Bay (LBB) has no option but to enter a period of limited operations," a spokesperson said. "LBB lost its main ore supplier last year due to Tropical Cyclone Megan which caused extensive damage to South 32's GEMCO infrastructure, placing pressure on inventory and working capital. "We are still working through ore supply options at present. The ABC understands there are around 250 full-time staff at Liberty Bell Bay, with the company saying there will be "no forced redundancies". The manganese alloy smelter in George Town has been in trouble in the past and faced closure in 2019 after its former owner, South32, announced it was reviewing operations at its Australian and South African alloy smelters. But it was saved a year later when it was bought by international company GFG Alliance in 2020, which is headed by British businessman Sanjeev Gupta. Mr Gupta has also made headlines recently over another of GFG's assets — the Whyalla steelworks in South Australia, which is losing money and was forced into administration by the SA government in February. Administrator KordaMentha is presiding over the finances of the Whyalla steelworks, which the ABC understands has debts of about $1 billion. Liberty Bell Bay is the only commercial ferroalloy operation in Australia. It processes ferro manganese silicomanganese at its plant. Energy expert Marc White, from Goanna Energy, said it was devastating news for the hundreds of families employed by Liberty Bell Bay. "Liberty Bell Bay accounts for around 7 per cent of the state's energy consumption," he said.
