SA’s Manganese refining pioneer set to electrify West’s quest to diversify from China – CEO Louis Nel

A manganese refinery near the Kruger National Park, known as the Manganese Metal Co (MMC), is poised to benefit from the West’s desire to detach itself from China’s supply. Located in the rural town of Mbombela, MMC is one of just a handful of refiners of battery-grade manganese outside China. MMC CEO Louis Nel told Biznews in an interview that the exponential growth of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles enhances the prospects for the company and has resulted in a steady flow of Western automakers knocking on its doors, looking to decouple from China. He did not want to comment on whether it includes Tesla but said that most pre-eminent automotive producers have come calling. When it comes to price, Nel said that it was hard to compete with China, but there was a market for an alternative product with a smaller environmental footprint.