EXPLORATION
MENAR
BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP
By Nelendhre Moodley
E
xploration is the bedrock of a strong mining sector and exploration efforts are a signal that a company is eyeing future growth and sustainability. SA Mining recently caught up with Menar head of projects Kobus Rothmann to chat about the group’s robust exploration portfolio.
HOW IMPORTANT IS EXPLORATION TO MENAR’S STRATEGY?
Menar has a pipeline of R7-billion worth of new investments. This demonstrates our commitment to undertaking exploration work and developing new mining projects primarily in South Africa and internationally. We believe strongly that exploration is critically important to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the South African mining industry. South Africa has an abundance of mineral resources that can be developed into long-term megaprojects, which would attract investment, create thousands of jobs, generate wealth for the country through taxes and mineral royalties and also support upstream and downstream sectors including equipment and services providers, manufacturing, processing, etc.
at its infancy, it is likely to affect the market structure of several mineral resources. Many resource analysts are predicting an increase in demand for steel which is critical for the manufacture of wind turbines and support systems for solar panels. Although the construction of solar energy sites is less steel-intensive, compared with wind turbines, the reality is that the global aggregate demand for both wind turbines and solar systems is set to increase. This megatrend has a positive impact on the demand for all the input mineral resources – copper, aluminium, nickel and manganese. We have a nickel-cobalt operation under care and maintenance in Turkey that is waiting for the right market
R7-billion
Value of Menar’s new investments until 2022 East Manganese project.
WHAT IS YOUR EXPLORATION STRATEGY FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS?
Our investment and exploration strategies are based on these three global megatrends: ■ The energy transition to decarbonised renewable energy sources: Though it is still
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prices and political stability in Turkey to restart. In South Africa, our investment in East Manganese in the Northern Cape is just a start, and we are looking at a few greenfield possibilities and acquisitions. Manganese is critical for the manufacture of steel and our investment in anthracite production is also key because it is a replacement for coke, which is critical in steel, ferromanganese and ferrochrome alloys production. ■ Governments’ economic stimulus packages worldwide and the construction of infrastructure: These will drive demand for steel, iron ore, manganese, chrome and aluminium, among other products. South Africa is responsible for about 60% (South
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