African Rainbow Minerals said on Friday that a consortium of South African manganese producers intends to bid to develop and operate a new export port for the mineral at Port of Ngqura.
ARM said its unit Assmang is part of the Manganese Producers Consortium (MPC), which plans to partner with the state-owned logistics company Transnet on the project.
The proposed development is expected to add 16 million metric tons of manganese export capacity and improve the country’s export logistics, Reuters reported.
“The MPC intends to bid for the request for quotation with Transnet as a joint-venture partner for the design, build, construction and operator of the new manganese ore export port at Ngqura, namely the Ngqura Manganese Ore Export Terminal,” ARM said in a results statement.
Transnet has indicated it plans to invite bids for the Ngqura manganese export terminal around April. The rail and port operator has been opening parts of its network to private companies as part of efforts to restore capacity that has declined in recent years, limiting the country’s mineral exports.
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South Africa holds roughly 70% of the world’s manganese resources and remains the largest producer of the mineral, which is primarily used in steel production. Most exports are shipped to China, the world’s largest steel producer.
According to the Minerals Council South Africa, the country is estimated to have exported about 26.2 million tons of manganese in 2025, a record high, surpassing the previous peak of 22.3 million tons recorded in 2024.
ARM said headline earnings from its manganese ore operations fell by 76%, largely due to a 22% drop in the average dollar price for high-grade manganese ore.
Despite that decline, the diversified mining group reported overall profit growth during the period. The company said profit increased 10% to 1.67 billion rand ($100.81 million) for the six months ended December 31, supported by higher prices for platinum group metals, which helped offset weaker income from manganese, iron ore and its loss-making coal division.
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Image Credit: Reuters
