South Africa’s manganese-rich Kalahari basin has become the center of a rapidly expanding mining boom driven by global demand for materials critical to the energy transition, even as local communities report environmental degradation and worsening living conditions. The country holds approximately 70 percent of known global manganese reserves, much of it located beneath the sands of the Kalahari, and is the world’s largest producer of the mineral.
The mineral is widely used in steel production for wind turbines and in batteries for electric vehicles, making it strategically important for low-carbon technologies. However, the surge in extraction has intensified since 2010, initially fueled by demand from China and more recently by global competition for battery materials. South Africa exported a record 26.2 million tonnes of manganese in 2025, according to industry data, with further increases expected in coming years as battery demand is projected to rise sharply.
In the Kalahari settlements of Maipeng and nearby areas in the Northern Cape province, residents describe growing disruption linked to mining activity. Local families report structural damage to homes, with cracks appearing in walls and foundations that they associate with frequent blasting from nearby mines. Residents also describe persistent ground vibrations during explosions and worsening dust conditions across communities located near extraction sites.
Many households in the region rely on subsistence agriculture and livestock, but residents say these activities have been severely affected. Garden crops have reportedly declined over time, and livestock health has deteriorated, which locals attribute to contaminated water sources and dust exposure linked to mining operations. Community members say promised infrastructure development, including roads, schools, and employment opportunities, has largely failed to materialize.
The expansion of mining has also transformed the broader Kalahari landscape, including areas of ecological significance. Environmental specialists warn that slow-growing indigenous trees, including Vachellia erioloba, are being removed to make way for mining infrastructure such as roads, power lines, and access routes. Dust generated by heavy vehicle traffic is also reported to coat vegetation, reducing photosynthesis and affecting long-term ecosystem health.
Concerns over water contamination and depletion have emerged as a central issue in the region. Farmers and residents report declining groundwater levels and increased reliance on pumping operations used by mining companies to stabilize excavations. Some local water analyses have shown elevated nitrate levels, which researchers link in part to mining-related explosives used in extraction processes. Studies have also indicated that groundwater recovery in parts of the region could take more than a century if current pressures continue.
The mining industry maintains that it operates within strict regulatory frameworks. Companies involved in manganese extraction state that environmental monitoring is conducted regularly, including water and air quality assessments, and that compliance procedures are followed under national requirements. Some firms also say that community development projects are designed in consultation with local authorities and residents.
However, critics argue that enforcement of environmental and mining regulations is inconsistent. Local officials and experts cited in the reporting describe limited regulatory capacity at municipal level and uneven compliance across operations. They say oversight responsibility often falls to provincial or national authorities, where enforcement is described as variable.
The broader region is now viewed as increasingly vulnerable as mining activity shifts toward new areas near the Botswana border, where remaining untouched ecosystems and agricultural land are located. Farmers in these zones express concern about the expansion of industrial activity into wildlife-rich landscapes, citing fears over water security and long-term environmental change.
At the same time, global demand for manganese continues to rise, driven by its role in steel manufacturing and electric vehicle battery production. Analysts forecast a significant increase in consumption over the coming decade, particularly as new battery chemistries gain prominence in the automotive sector.
As mining accelerates across the Kalahari, tensions between global energy transition goals and local environmental and social impacts continue to intensify, placing South Africa’s manganese belt at the center of a growing debate over the true cost of critical mineral extraction.
