South Africa is taking a strategic step into the global battery materials value chain, as Manganese Metal Company (MMC) advances a flexible, phased approach to supplying battery-grade manganese amid rapidly shifting market dynamics.
The commissioning of MMC’s first-phase high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) plant in Mbombela marks a significant milestone, positioning the country within an increasingly competitive and geopolitically influenced supply chain for critical battery inputs. With an initial capacity of 6 000 t/y, the plant represents a measured entry into the battery materials space, with MMC already evaluating a second phase that could expand output by a further 18 000 t/y. At the same time, the company is progressing a patented ore-to-crystals process designed to enable future scale-up without relying exclusively on traditional metal-based production pathways.
Chaired by Bernard Swanepoel, MMC remains uniquely positioned as the only producer of electrolytic manganese metal (EMM) outside China and the largest producer of high-purity selenium-free EMM, providing a strong platform for downstream diversification. Speaking at the International Manganese Institute (IMnI) conference in Rio de Janeiro, MMC Chief Marketing Officer Morné Ruiters outlined the company’s seven-year journey from project inception in 2019 to commissioning in 2026, emphasising a strategy anchored in adaptability and capital discipline.
The project has been developed against a backdrop of significant shifts in electric vehicle (EV) adoption and battery chemistry trends. Global battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales exceeded 21 million units in 2025, far outpacing earlier forecasts, while lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries captured approximately half of global demand, well above initial projections. These developments have reshaped assumptions around manganese demand, prompting MMC to prioritise flexibility in its production model. “The battery market has changed dramatically since our initial studies were completed. Flexibility and optionality have become critical,” noted Ruiters.
The technical ability to produce material at industrial scale at the purity level demanded by the battery industry is now being matched by a requirement to be flexible and meet changing market realities. In response, MMC adopted a modular ‘metal-to-crystals’ route in 2024, converting a portion of its existing EMM production into battery-grade sulphate. This approach leverages established infrastructure and processing expertise, reduces upfront capital intensity and enables incremental expansion aligned with evolving market conditions.
While LFP batteries have gained significant market share, MMC maintains that manganese remains central to the future of battery chemistries. Nickel-manganese-cobalt (NCM) cathodes continue to evolve, particularly through mid-nickel, high-voltage formulations that increase manganese content. Simultaneously, lithium manganese-rich (LMR) technologies are advancing as a potential pathway to lower-cost, higher-performance batteries, reinforcing the longer-term demand outlook for manganese despite near-term shifts in chemistry preferences.
Geopolitical developments are adding further complexity and opportunity to the market. Trade restrictions, local-content requirements and supply chain diversification strategies are increasingly shaping investment decisions across the battery value chain. Against this backdrop, MMC’s South African production base offers a strategic alternative within a market seeking diversified and secure supply sources outside dominant processing regions.
The company’s expansion reflects a broader shift in mining, where value addition and downstream integration are becoming critical to competitiveness and resilience. For MMC, the focus remains on aligning production growth with the pace of battery market development, while retaining the flexibility to respond to ongoing uncertainty. The Mbombela plant signals more than new capacity, it represents South Africa’s early positioning in a rapidly restructuring battery materials landscape.
