By Mintek
South Africa becomes the first African country – to successfully produce Mixed Rare Earth Oxalate through mining–research institution partnership
Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine (SMM) and Mintek, South Africa’s national mineral research organisation, [19 June 2026] announced a landmark achievement in the country’s critical minerals sector: the successful production of a high-purity Mixed Rare Earth Oxalate (MREO) at Mintek’s laboratory facilities.
The milestone, achieved through a long-standing collaboration between the two organisations, positions South Africa as the first African country to successfully produce MREO through a partnership between a mining company and a national research institution.
This achievement represents a significant technological breakthrough and demonstrates what can be accomplished when South African institutions and industry work together toward a common vision. “Our partnership, supported by key South African organisations such as the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA), and others, is key to ensuring the safe, compliant, and commercially successful execution of this strategic project,” said Dr Enock Mathebula, Executive Chairman and Shareholder of Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine. “This is not only a victory for Steenkampskraal and Mintek; it is a victory for South Africa. It demonstrates our country’s ability to develop world-class technologies, create local beneficiation opportunities, and participate meaningfully in global critical mineral supply chains.”
Located in the Western Cape, Steenkampskraal is one of the world’s highest-grade rare earth element deposits. Originally opened in 1952 by Anglo American, the mine was historically operated for thorium extraction in support of international nuclear energy programmes before being placed on care and maintenance. NECSA’s expertise in radioactive material handling, nuclear safety and waste management is key to safely unlocking thorium’s potential and ensuring regulatory compliance as South Africa advances its beneficiation capabilities.
The project was formally brought out of care and maintenance in 2024, with approvals secured from both the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) and the Department of Mineral Resources and Petroleum (DMPR). Full funding for the metallurgical processing plant has been secured through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), and construction of both the metallurgical and hydrometallurgical plants is currently underway.
Metallurgical processing tests have successfully produced a monazite concentrate with a grade of approximately 50%, upgrading the material through the concentrator in a single pass. This is the first time such a result has been achieved at the mine in over 60 years, demonstrating the high-grade nature of the deposit. Mintek provided independent validation of the ore characteristics and processing methodologies, confirming the quality and reliability of the results.
Dr Molefi Motuku, CEO of Mintek, commended the collaboration and its significance for South Africa’s mineral beneficiation ambitions.
“This milestone is a powerful demonstration of what South Africa can achieve when our research institutions and industry partners unite around a shared vision of value addition and local beneficiation,” said Dr Motuku. “Mintek’s expertise, combined with Steenkampskraal’s world-class resource, has proven that South Africa possesses not only the minerals but also the scientific capability to compete globally in critical minerals processing. We are proud to partner with Steenkampskraal in building a competitive, value-adding minerals economy for our country.”
Beyond rare earth elements, the thorium extracted from the monazite also presents a strategic opportunity for South Africa’s energy future. Thorium has the potential to serve as an alternative fuel source for nuclear reactors, including pebble-bed reactor technologies and the emerging generation of Small Modular Reactors. This positions South Africa to contribute to long-term energy security and nuclear innovation, while reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels.
“While we celebrate this achievement, we are not stopping here,” Dr Mathebula added. “We are currently advancing discussions and development work aimed at establishing separation capabilities in South Africa. Together with Mintek, we are continuing to explore and develop local solutions that will support the future establishment of a world-class separation system. Our vision is not simply to mine resources but to beneficiate them, process them, and create greater value within South Africa and become a rare earth processing hub in Africa.”
Construction of the hydrometallurgical plant is progressing well, with concentrate production expected to commence later this year and first shipments anticipated before the end of November 2026. The mine continues to engage with several strategic investors currently conducting due diligence regarding potential participation in the project.
Beyond mining, Steenkampskraal is exploring opportunities within the nuclear medicine sector through strategic partnerships, investigating the production of isotopes that could contribute to life-saving medical treatments.
Source: Novus Group – Press Bulletin
