National mineral resource organisation Mintek has welcomed the official release of South Africa's Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy by Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources’ (DMPR’s) Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy has identified platinum, manganese, iron-ore, coal and chrome ore as “high-critical minerals” for South Africa, based on their criticality.

This was announced by Mantashe on May 20, in a briefing regarding Cabinet’s approval of the strategy, as well as the approval for the publication of the Mineral Resources Development Bill (MRDB) of 2025 for public comment.

The strategy further identifies mineral commodities such as gold, vanadium, palladium, rhodium and rare earth elements as minerals with “moderate to high criticality”.

“This landmark document signifies a pivotal step forward in strategically harnessing South Africa's mineral and metal wealth for sustainable economic growth and development in a rapidly evolving global landscape,” Mintek says.

It highlights the strategy as of “paramount importance” as it provides a clear framework for enhanced exploration, focused research and development (R&D), expanded local processing and beneficiation, crucial infrastructure development and the establishment of strategic partnerships to cultivate advanced mineral and metal processing capabilities for industries and technologies shaping the future.

Notably, the strategy defines critical minerals and metals specifically for the South African context, outlines the criteria used for this classification and presents the definitive list of critical minerals and metals for South Africa, the organisation points out.

It emphasises that this clarity is essential for guiding investment, innovation and infrastructure development in this strategically important sector, particularly given the shifting global dynamics.

“The release of the Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy by Minister Gwede Mantashe marks a watershed moment for South Africa's mining and metals sector,” Mintek CEO Dr Molefi Motuku says.

“Mintek is honoured to have contributed significantly to its development, and we are resolutely committed to supporting its ambitious implementation across all critical pillars. This includes invigorating exploration activities, driving impactful and future-oriented R&D, achieving significant advancements in local processing and beneficiation, building essential infrastructure and forging strategic partnerships that enable advanced capabilities,” he informs.

Motuku says that this strategy provides a clear and dynamic roadmap for strategically harnessing the country’s critical mineral and metal resources for considerable and sustainable economic growth.

Mintek believes that the implementation of this strategy holds “transformative” potential for the South African economy.

It posits that by strategically focusing on invigorated exploration to identify new resources, making targeted investments in essential infrastructure, aggressively promoting local processing and beneficiation on a larger scale and forging impactful strategic partnerships for sophisticated capabilities, South Africa can move beyond simply leveraging its resources to actively shaping higher-value industries, creating substantial new skilled jobs and significantly increasing export earnings.

“This comprehensive and forward-looking approach will not only enhance the economic contribution of the mining and metals sector but also firmly position South Africa as a proactive and influential player in the global transition towards a greener and more technologically advanced future,” Motuku avers.