Modern Mining March 2021

MANGANESE

sources. An additional benefit of a dry crush/screen process is that there won’t be any need for a slurry handing facility. Products will include both lumpy (85%) and fine material (15%). Sound investment Having purchased East Manganese from Southern Ambition in September 2018, the R250-million project, part of Menar Group’s planned R7-billion investments, was granted environmental authorisa- tion in February 2019, followed by the mining right in August 2019. Speaking to Modern Mining late last year, Menar chairperson Mpumelelo Mkhabela said the purchase of the East Manganese project was in line with the company’s strategy to diversify its commodity portfo- lio, which is integral to its quest to become a leading South African diversified mining company. The R250-million investment, said Mkhabela, is significant for the Menar Group. “We are on track to invest at least R7-billion in the next two years. The start of the East Manganese project in the middle of a pandemic is an indication of fulfilling our invest- ment promise to South Africa. We are looking for more assets in the manganese sector,” he said. “It is our aim to build a larger manganese port- folio in the area over time. We are committed to realising South Africa’s full mining potential, by con- tinuously seeking out new investment opportunities and East Manganese is a clear illustration of this continued commitment. The move into manganese from our controlling and management positions in Canyon Coal, Zululand Anthracite Colliery and Kangra forms part of our strategic diversification into minerals and metals beyond coal and anthra- cite. We believe the skills and knowledge we have gained from coal mining will hold us in good stead

for our venture into manganese,” adds Mkhabela. Mkhabela is also encouraged by the prospects of the global manganese market. Manganese has numerous applications which impact people’s daily lives. The main uses are in industrial and metallur- gical applications. Manganese is essential to the production of steel, aluminium alloys, copper alloys, batteries and a variety of chemicals. The manganese mining sector is an integral part of South Africa’s economy. According to the Minerals Council, over 10 800 people were employed in the sector which equalled over R3,5-billion in employee earnings in 2019. The sector produced over 16,4-mil- lion tonnes and totalled over R47,6-billion in total sales during the same period. “We are encouraged by the macro supply and demand fundamentals of manganese. South Africa holds the overwhelming majority of the world’s man- ganese resources. We are confident that we can leverage our group’s existing skills and relationships in South Africa to build a strong manganese busi- ness,” concludes Mkhabela. 

A Volvo excavator working at the East Manganese site.

Key takeaways  In a major project milestone, Menar has successfully undertaken its first blast of about 35 000 m³ on February 27 this year at its flagship East Manganese mine  The stripping of overburden and infrastructure construction continues, with the pollution control dam, screening plant foundations and workshops among the major priorities  The plant is being constructed off-site and on completion it will be trans- ported to site and erected on the foundations that have already been constructed  A key milestone for the project achieved thus far is the final blast on the Calcrete overburden on 15 February

March 2021  MODERN MINING  19