Transnet Freight Rail And Kalagadi Manganese Enables Export Manganese Capability For Emerging Miners

Cape Town, Monday 5 February 2024- Transnet Freight Rail’s (TFR) groundbreaking manganese export project entered into with Kalagadi Manganese (Pty) Ltd, has yielded positive rewards for new emerging miner entrants. This was disclosed during a pledge signing ceremony held at the Yacht Club, Cape Town, on the first day of the Mining Indaba 2024. The event was attended by key industry stakeholders, including the project beneficiaries.

In April 2023, TFR made available 2mtpa of rail and port capacity to emerging miners. Kalagadi Manganese came on board and provided the miners access to its state-of-the-art rapid load-out station so that they too could reap the benefit from the TFR allocation. The partnership between TFR and Kalagadi Manganese, officially signed alongside the Mining Indaba of 2023, allowed emerging miners use of the facility, which is based at the coal face of Kalagadi Mine Farm in Hotazel, Northern Cape, at a capped reduced fee.

The facility turns around Transnet trains in less than four (4) hours – against the rail service design of 12 hours. TFR Chief Commercial Officer Bonginkosi Mabaso says the project – a transformation first – promotes a more inclusive and competitive environment. “The access to the common user facility ensures that emerging miners, who would not have been able to raise the required capital for investment in a loading facility, are accommodated on the rail. This is critical to the Manganese Export Capacity Allocation (MECA) III project.”

Chairperson and Founder of Kalagadi Manganese (PTY) Ltd, Daphne Mashile-Nkosi, hopes this cooperation model will be adopted throughout the industry. “This model showcases the power of working together and leveraging collective expertise and resources to create greater opportunities for growth and success, not only benefitting the individual organisations involved but also positively impacting the industry as a whole.”