By CAPE TOWN — Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe is set to visit the Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine in the Matzikama Local Municipality, Western Cape, on Friday, 2 October 2026.
The high-profile ministerial visit highlights the government’s strategic push to develop South Africa’s critical minerals sector, boost local beneficiation, and integrate domestic industrial capacity into fast-growing global value chains.
Steenkampskraal boasts some of the highest-grade rare earth deposits globally, making it a cornerstone asset for the country’s economic and industrial aspirations. With global demand for critical raw materials soaring—driven by the green energy transition and advanced manufacturing—the site holds immense strategic value for positioning South Africa as a key player in the international rare earths market.
Beyond raw extraction, the government is leveraging the project to anchor domestic processing capabilities. Minister Mantashe emphasized that building robust beneficiation and manufacturing sectors is vital to retaining more economic value at home.
“South Africa must build robust beneficiation and manufacturing capabilities so that we add value to our minerals closer to the point of production. Our mineral wealth must support industrialisation, create jobs and contribute to sustainable economic development,” said Minister Mantashe.
From an economic perspective, the drive toward local mineral beneficiation addresses a historical structural weakness: exporting raw commodities while importing high-value finished products. By fostering local value chains, the initiative aims to catalyse regional skills development, stimulate local investments, and create sustainable employment opportunities in the Western Cape.
Friday’s visit will serve as an on-site assessment of project progress, allowing the Ministry to engage stakeholders on local rare earth processing and infrastructure development. However, navigating the site’s unique regulatory and environmental landscape will be equally critical.
Officials will review compliance measures, with a particular focus on the safe management of naturally occurring radioactive materials, which remain a paramount consideration for the development of the Steenkampskraal resource.
As the global race for critical minerals intensifies, the outcome of projects like Steenkampskraal will heavily influence whether South Africa can successfully pivot from a traditional mining economy into a diversified industrial powerhouse built on technological and mineral self-sufficiency.
