United Maganese of Kalahari

What United Maganese of Kalahari does

United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK) is a South African private mining company established in 2005 that extracts and exports manganese ore from the Kalahari manganese field in the Northern Cape Province, which is regarded as the largest manganese ore deposit globally. UMK is the 4th largest manganese producer in South Africa and a 51% black-owned empowerment company. Operations center on an open-pit mine on Farm Rissik near Hotazel, producing five certified ore grades — High Grade Lumpy (36% Mn typical), High Grade Fines (35% Mn typical), Low Grade Lumpy (28% Mn typical), and TUP Lumpy and Fines — with quality assurance delivered through ISO/IEC accredited laboratories supported by SGS South Africa, and on-site drone-based photogrammetry surveying for mine planning.

The company sells exclusively to international steel producers in Asia and Europe, with international sales executed through Kalahari Minerals Marketing AG, a Swiss trading entity based in Zug. UMK secured a 10-year contract with Transnet under the Manganese Export Capacity Allocation (MECA) 3 programme in July 2025, becoming the first major miner to commit to this logistics framework, which guarantees dedicated rail and port capacity for exports through South African ports. Pricing is commodity-driven across multi-year contracts, and revenue is concentrated on export sales with no disclosed internal financial figures.

Secondary growth exposure targets emerging demand for high-purity manganese in lithium-ion battery cathode materials for electric vehicles and energy storage, where industry analysts forecast average demand growth of approximately 10% per year over the next decade. Corporate headquarters sit in Johannesburg (Melrose Arch), with operational support in Kuruman and the Swiss trade office in Zug. The company is governed by a board chaired by Mogopodi Mokoena, with Malcolm Curror as CEO and an executive team covering technical, financial, commercial, legal and operational functions, supported by community development programmes in the Joe Morolong Municipality.

Name

United Maganese of Kalahari

Legal name

United Manganese Kalahari (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://umk.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Manganese of Kalahari is a South African open-pit manganese ore miner on the Kalahari field, the world's largest deposit, exporting five certified grades to international steel producers in Asia and Europe via Transnet rail logistics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Manganese Ore Mining

NAICS

Other Metal Ore Mining (212290), Coal and Other Mineral and Ore Merchant Wholesalers (42352), Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing (327992), Other Metal Ore Mining (21229)

SIC

Miscellaneous Metal Ores (1090), Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050)

akta.pro primary industry

Manganese Ore Mining & Concentrates (IMAKAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ferrous Metals Trading & Distribution (Iron Ore, Pig Iron, DRI/HBI, Ferroalloys) (IMAKAJAA), Minerals & Ores Terminals (Iron Ore, Bauxite/Alumina, Concentrates) (TLAHABAB), Hazmat Bulk Tank, ISO Tank & Tank Container Transport (TLACANAJ), Bulk Hazmat (Dry) Transport (e.g., oxidizers, solid toxics) (TLADAIAA)

Keywords

• Manganese ore mining
• Open-pit mining
• Bulk commodity exports
• Steel-making alloys
• Mineral ore supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Manganese Ore Sales: UMK generates revenue primarily from extracting and selling manganese ore to international steel producers. The company operates in a manganese-based economy with exposure to the export market, shipping ore to Asia and Europe through South African ports.
2. Export Sales via Transnet Logistics: Revenue derived from exporting manganese ore through Transnet's rail and port infrastructure. The company has signed a 10-year contract under the Manganese Export Capacity Allocation (MECA) programme for reliable logistics to global markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK) is a South African mining company that extracts and exports manganese ore from the Kalahari manganese field in the Northern Cape Province. The company produces five grades of certified manganese ore products — High Grade Lumpy, High Grade Fines, Low Grade Lumpy, TUP Lumpy, and TUP Fines — that are prepared, sorted, and analysed using ISO/IEC accredited laboratory standards. Ore is shipped primarily to international steel producers in Asia and Europe via Transnet's rail infrastructure under a 10-year MECA 3 contract.

Product overview

United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK) is a South African manganese mining company operating on the Kalahari manganese field in the Northern Cape Province. The company produces certified manganese ore products prepared, sorted, and analysed using accredited ISO/IEC standards through business partners and laboratories. UMK offers five manganese ore product grades: High Grade Lumpy, High Grade Fines, Low Grade Lumpy, TUP Lumpy, and TUP Fines, each with specific chemical compositions (varying manganese content from 26.50-37.00%), sizing specifications, and moisture parameters. UMK is the 4th largest manganese producer in South Africa and a 51% black-owned company established in 2005.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High Grade – Lumpy Manganese Ore Premium lumpy manganese ore with 36% typical Mn content (range 35.00–37.00%), sized 6–75mm with 90% minimum in size range, typical moisture 2.50%, certified to ISO/IEC standards. Used by international steel producers as an alloying input for steel manufacturing.
• High Grade – Fines Manganese Ore Premium fine manganese ore with 35% typical Mn content (range 34.00–36.00%), sized 0–6mm with 90% minimum in size range, typical moisture 5.00%. Used by international steel producers as a cost-effective alloying input.
• Low Grade – Lumpy Manganese Ore Standard lumpy manganese ore with 28% typical Mn content (range 26.50–30.00%), sized 6–75mm with 90% minimum in size range, typical moisture 2.50%. Used by steel producers requiring lower-grade manganese inputs.
• TUP – Lumpy Manganese Ore Lumpy manganese ore sized 6–75mm with 90% minimum in size range, typical moisture 2.50%, analysed under ISO/IEC accredited standards. Targeted at industrial buyers with specialized applications.
• TUP – Fines Manganese Ore Fine manganese ore sized 0–6mm with 90% minimum in size range, typical moisture 5.00%, analysed under ISO/IEC accredited standards. Targeted at industrial buyers with specialized applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• South Africa accounts for approximately 36% of global manganese ore production, making it the world's largest producer
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Transnet SOC LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2025Transnet and UMK signed a 10-year contract under the Manganese Export Capacity Allocation (MECA) 3 programme for the transportation of manganese by rail from UMK's mine in the Northern Cape to ports for export markets. UMK is the first major miner to sign the MECA 3 agreement, signifying confidence in Transnet's ability to ensure efficient access to global markets.
• Kalahari Minerals Marketing AGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss-based trading company located in Zug handles international sales and marketing of UMK's manganese ore products to steel producers in Asia and Europe. Contact: Baarestrasse 94, 6300 Zug, Switzerland.
• Transnet Freight RailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransnet has deepened partnerships with local entities including United Manganese of Kalahari to strengthen infrastructure readiness for manganese and bulk mineral transportation to global markets. Transnet is implementing infrastructure modernization with €650 million in European financing.
• SGS South AfricasupportingTechnology or IntegrationUMK gains expert support on laboratory analytical testing from SGS South Africa for certified manganese ore products prepared, sorted and analysed using accredited ISO/IEC standards.
• Exxaro ResourcessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth Exxaro and UMK have signed public-private service agreements with Transnet, representing similar ten-year manganese rail contracts and aligning with South Africa's broader policy to open freight rail network to private operators.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• OM Holdings: OM Holdings produces manganese ore and ferro-silicon across Australia and Malaysia, serving similar Asian steel customers. Same product category, different geography and broader downstream integration.
• Vale: Vale is a global diversified miner with manganese operations in Brazil serving the steel industry. Comparable manganese product offering but as part of a much larger diversified mining portfolio.
• Exxaro Resources: Exxaro signed a comparable 10-year manganese rail contract (MECA) with Transnet and operates in South African bulk minerals. Comparable logistics dependency and BEE positioning, though Exxaro is a broader diversified miner.
• Eramet (COMILOG): Eramet's COMILOG division is the world's largest manganese producer (Gabon), operating across mining, ore, and alloys. Comparable product portfolio but global, integrated, and at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Jupiter Mines (Tshipi Borwa Mine): Jupiter Mines operates the Tshipi Borwa open-pit manganese mine on the Kalahari field, exporting to Asian steel customers via South African ports. Identical customer geography and rail-port logistics profile.
• Assmang (Black Rock and Nchwaning Mines): Assmang operates the Black Rock and Nchwaning underground manganese mines on the Kalahari field — historically the largest South African manganese producer. Direct overlap in resource, product mix, and end markets.
• Kudumane Manganese Resources: Kudumane is a South African manganese miner on the Kalahari field producing lumpy and fines for export. Comparable scale and customer profile to UMK.
• Kalagadi Manganese: Kalagadi operates an underground manganese mine and sintering plant on the Kalahari field. Comparable South African manganese peer with similar export-oriented B2B steel customer base.
• South32 (Hotazel Manganese Mines): South32 operates the Hotazel Manganese Mines (Wessels and Mamatwan) directly adjacent to UMK on the same Kalahari manganese field. Same geology, same end customers, same rail dependency — the closest possible peer.

Emerging players

• Transalloys (Ferro-Alloys Plant): Transalloys is a South African manganese ferro-alloys smelter with shared board representation (Konstantin Sadovnik). Comparable manganese value-chain exposure and counter-cyclical positioning to ore producers like UMK.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-manganese-of-kalahari-umk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Maganese of Kalahari