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He also acts as a liaison to the press. He has a PhD in electrochemistry from the University of Nottingham.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdmatthew/",{"type":570,"content":571},"doc",[572,615,623,634,644,661,669,677,685,693,701,709,731,767,787],{"type":573,"attrs":574,"content":575},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[576,584,596,601,610],{"text":577,"type":578,"marks":579},"Manganese Metal Company (MMC) has commenced commissioning ","text",[580],{"type":581,"attrs":582},"textStyle",{"color":583},"#000000",{"text":585,"type":578,"marks":586},"South Africa’s",[587,594],{"type":588,"attrs":589},"link",{"href":590,"uuid":591,"anchor":49,"target":592,"linktype":593},"/article/south-africa-formally-launches-critical-minerals-strategy","d3f03469-dfec-43f8-8c97-c6f6037e9f6e","_self","story",{"type":581,"attrs":595},{"color":583},{"text":597,"type":578,"marks":598}," first high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) facility at its Mbombela refinery in Mpumalanga. This is a significant step for the country which has long been the world's largest ",[599],{"type":581,"attrs":600},{"color":583},{"text":602,"type":578,"marks":603},"supplier of manganese ore",[604,608],{"type":588,"attrs":605},{"href":606,"uuid":607,"anchor":49,"target":592,"linktype":593},"/article/south-africa-to-remain-top-manganese-producer-with-more-than-one-third-of-supply-in-2024","9a34688a-6273-4ab3-bfc7-6852b4627044",{"type":581,"attrs":609},{"color":583},{"text":611,"type":578,"marks":612},".",[613],{"type":581,"attrs":614},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":616,"content":617},{"textAlign":49},[618],{"text":619,"type":578,"marks":620},"MMC has operated in Mbombela since 1974 and is the world's largest producer of selenium-free electrolytic manganese metal (EMM). It sources ore from the Kalahari Manganese Field in the Northern Cape. The company has added HPMSM production through a brownfield expansion to its existing refinery. MMC is wholly-owned by South African companies.",[621],{"type":581,"attrs":622},{"color":583},{"type":624,"attrs":625},"blok",{"id":626,"body":627},"b99bf16d-3c67-45fe-9fca-f8522d1969ee",[628],{"id":629,"_uid":630,"type":631,"component":632,"fixed_height":633,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":633,"fixed_height_tablet":633},"29409894","i-130fc5e6-ce69-4722-9411-669330c5a695","visualisation","ContentFlourish","",{"type":635,"attrs":636,"content":638},"heading",{"level":637,"textAlign":49},2,[639],{"text":640,"type":578,"marks":641},"Where does MMC fit into the global HPMSM market?",[642],{"type":581,"attrs":643},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":645,"content":646},{"textAlign":49},[647,656],{"text":648,"type":578,"marks":649},"China accounts for roughly 90% of global HPMSM production",[650,654],{"type":588,"attrs":651},{"href":652,"uuid":653,"anchor":49,"target":592,"linktype":593},"/article/visualising-critical-mineral-refining-by-2030","aa18345f-1698-4ef5-b27c-06a67a847504",{"type":581,"attrs":655},{"color":583},{"text":657,"type":578,"marks":658},", with only four operating facilities elsewhere, in Belgium, Kazakhstan and Japan. Benchmark assesses the combined ex-China nameplate capacity to be just 38,000 tonnes per year in 2026.",[659],{"type":581,"attrs":660},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":662,"content":663},{"textAlign":49},[664],{"text":665,"type":578,"marks":666},"MMC’s new HPMSM facility will add significant tonnage to this. The recently commissioned Phase 1 is targeting 6,000 tonnes per year of HPMSM. A second phase, which would add a further 18,000 tonnes per year at the same site, is under evaluation.",[667],{"type":581,"attrs":668},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":670,"content":671},{"textAlign":49},[672],{"text":673,"type":578,"marks":674},"The HPMSM will be produced using a proprietary metal-to-crystals process which converts a portion of its EMM output into battery-grade sulphate crystals. The sulphate plant runs on 100% renewable hydroelectric energy.",[675],{"type":581,"attrs":676},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":678,"content":679},{"textAlign":49},[680],{"text":681,"type":578,"marks":682},"Qualification volumes at Mbombela are targeted for H2 2026, with commercial sales expected from 2027, after accreditation is completed. MMC ships through the ports of Maputo and Durban, with Europe and North America as the primary target markets, though some of these customers use pCAM partners located in Asia, Madelein Todd, MMC’s market development executive told Benchmark.",[683],{"type":581,"attrs":684},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":686,"content":687},{"textAlign":49},[688],{"text":689,"type":578,"marks":690},"Todd explained that the company’s conversion of the fines and slimes of South African manganese ore into high purity materials enables it to play “a key part in the critical material sourcing strategies of Western value chains.”",[691],{"type":581,"attrs":692},{"color":583},{"type":635,"attrs":694,"content":695},{"level":637,"textAlign":49},[696],{"text":697,"type":578,"marks":698},"Sulphuric acid agreements represent a competitive advantage",[699],{"type":581,"attrs":700},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":702,"content":703},{"textAlign":49},[704],{"text":705,"type":578,"marks":706},"Beyond its dominance in manganese ore, South Africa is Africa's largest sulphuric acid producer, with output generated predominantly as a byproduct of base metals smelting. This adds a structural advantage to companies operating in the country.",[707],{"type":581,"attrs":708},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":710,"content":711},{"textAlign":49},[712,717,726],{"text":713,"type":578,"marks":714},"MMC can use industrial-grade sulphuric acid in both its EMM and HPMSM operations. Having a secure, domestic supply of industrial acid can help the company to mitigate the ",[715],{"type":581,"attrs":716},{"color":583},{"text":718,"type":578,"marks":719},"rising acid prices seen as a result of the conflict in Iran",[720,724],{"type":588,"attrs":721},{"href":722,"uuid":723,"anchor":49,"target":592,"linktype":593},"/article/what-the-sulphuric-acid-supply-crunch-means-for-critical-minerals","89fa6c30-d2f8-47dd-ab8c-c9a7c2cb86f5",{"type":581,"attrs":725},{"color":583},{"text":727,"type":578,"marks":728}," and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.",[729],{"type":581,"attrs":730},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":732,"content":733},{"textAlign":49},[734,739,748,753,762],{"text":735,"type":578,"marks":736},"A significant share of ",[737],{"type":581,"attrs":738},{"color":583},{"text":740,"type":578,"marks":741},"global seaborne sulphur supply is impacted",[742,746],{"type":588,"attrs":743},{"href":744,"uuid":745,"anchor":49,"target":592,"linktype":593},"/videos/supply-squeeze-how-sulphuric-acid-constraints-are-shaping-copper-cobalt-nickel-lithium-markets","37efde40-9be1-4804-a9df-822a4244bdd5",{"type":581,"attrs":747},{"color":583},{"text":749,"type":578,"marks":750},", which has driven acid prices up sharply, with ",[751],{"type":581,"attrs":752},{"color":583},{"text":754,"type":578,"marks":755},"China's subsequent export halt",[756,760],{"type":588,"attrs":757},{"href":758,"uuid":759,"anchor":49,"target":592,"linktype":593},"/article/china-to-potentially-ban-sulphuric-acid-exports-as-iran-war-pressures-supply","80b2b4fa-1a1a-4ed8-8906-268000529283",{"type":581,"attrs":761},{"color":583},{"text":763,"type":578,"marks":764}," from May adding further pressure. For producers without long-term supply agreements, and early-stage projects yet to establish them, this represents a material challenge to overcome.",[765],{"type":581,"attrs":766},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":768,"content":769},{"textAlign":49},[770,775,783],{"text":771,"type":578,"marks":772},"As Africa's role in the global battery supply chain continues to accelerate, ",[773],{"type":774},"italic",{"text":776,"type":578,"marks":777},"Benchmark's Giga Africa 2026",[778,782],{"type":588,"attrs":779},{"href":780,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":592,"linktype":781},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/events/giga-africa","url",{"type":774},{"text":784,"type":578,"marks":785}," event brings together government, industry and finance to forge lasting partnerships, unlock defining deals and gain in-depth market insights. Fill out the form below to find out more:",[786],{"type":774},{"type":624,"attrs":788},{"id":789,"body":790},"c429f038-4ee2-47e6-9010-a190ecc8a4dc",[791],{"id":792,"_uid":793,"component":794,"wrap_in_box":50,"redirect_url":795,"success_file":797,"default_height":633,"success_message":633,"v2_hubspot_form":50,"success_sub_text":633,"hidden_field_values":800,"show_on_intelligence":50},"57a99950-73f5-48be-98a4-7324c28e5d0b","i-a982f561-c3c8-4650-a1a1-df5c258351b9","ContentHubspotForm",{"id":633,"url":633,"linktype":593,"fieldtype":796,"cached_url":633},"multilink",{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":633,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":633,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":798,"meta_data":799},"asset",{},[],"Manganese Metal Company (MMC) has commenced commissioning South Africa’s first high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) facility at its Mbombela refinery in Mpumalanga. This is a significant step for the country which has long been the world's largest supplier of manganese ore.\n\nMMC has operated in Mbombela since 1974 as the world's largest non-Chinese producer of selenium-free electrolytic manganese metal (EMM). It sources ore from the Kalahari Manganese Field in the Northern Cape. The company has added HPMSM production through a brownfield expansion to its existing refinery. MMC is wholly-owned by South African companies.",[803],{"slug":804,"name":805,"content":806},"ciara-rice","Ciara Rice",{"job_title":807,"image":808,"bio":810,"linkedin":811,"markets_covered":812},"Battery Chemicals Analyst",{"filename":809},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/400x400/b61680a01e/ciara-rice.jpg","Ciara is Benchmark's battery chemicals analyst, covering the Manganese and Fluorspar value chains across Mn ore, HPMSM, acidspar, HF acid, and LiPF₆. Ciara tracks market developments and price movements across these commodities, working on supply and demand forecasts and historical price analysis.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciara-rice-7481b1b9/","Manganese, HPMSM, Acidspar, HF Acid, electrolyte","article","MMC begins commissioning South Africa’s first HPMSM plant",[816,819,822],{"slug":817,"name":818},"manganese","Manganese",{"slug":820,"name":821},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals",{"slug":823,"name":824},"raw-materials","Raw Materials","private",{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":633,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":633,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":798,"meta_data":827},{},{"id":829,"alt":633,"name":633,"focus":633,"title":830,"source":633,"filename":831,"copyright":633,"fieldtype":798,"meta_data":832,"is_external_url":50},188808182043864,"Image credit: Manganese Metal Company","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1365x768/733b5bef9a/mmc-plant.JPG",{"alt":633,"title":830,"source":633,"copyright":633},"Manganese Metal Company (MMC) has commenced commissioning South Africa’s first high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) facility at its Mbombela refinery in Mpumalanga.","Jun 18, 2026","18th June 2026",[],[],1781799285128]