South African manganese deposits are currently confined to the Early Proterozoic Transvaal Supergroup, Northern Cape Province. They can be grouped into two major categories:
1. Syngenetic carbonate-rich manganese deposits interbedded with the banded iron formations (BIF) of the Hotazel Formation, colloquially called the Kalahari Manganese Field.
2. Karst-fill type manganiferous material from residual Fe-rich manganese developed in dolomites of the Campbell Rand Subgroup in the Postmasburg Fe-Mn Fields.

The Kalahari Manganese Field is situated within a structural basin, known as the Dimoten Synclinorium, plunging at an angle of 3° to 8° to the north and northwest. It extends from Mamatwan Mine in the south for approximately 40 km to Wessels Mine in the north, with an east-west extent varying between 5 and 15 km.

Local Geology
The manganese mineralisation at Mamatwan is hosted by the Hotazel Formation of the Postmasburg Group (Transvaal Supergroup) and occurs as stratiform bodies interbedded with banded ironstone formation. This Formation is characterized by three manganese-rich horizons, called the Lower, Middle and Upper Bodies respectively, separated by BIF.

The lowermost of the three units, the Lower Body (LB), is the only unit exposed and currently mined at Mamatwan Open Pit Mine. The Middle Body is poorly developed, often ferruginized, and carries no economic value. The Upper Body (UB) is considered to be potentially eco ........

Mamatwan mine consists of an open pit operation that commenced in 1963. This pit is still operational, and is being extended to the north and west. The current run of mine for Mamatwan mine is in the order of 3 million tons per annum. Manganese ore is sold to both the local and international markets.

Stripping and stockpiling of topsoil and waste rock
Mamatwan mine is a conventional opencast operation in that topsoil and waste rock is removed to uncover the manganese ore body using truck and shovel methods. Topsoil is transported via truck to designated topsoil stockpile areas for later use as part of rehabilitation. Waste rock is stripped and transported to one of the designated WRDs at the MMT. Waste rock is either backfilled into the open pit or used to flatten the slopes of existing dumps.

Access to open cast workings
Ore is drilled and blasted, and hauled using front end loaders and shovels to the "in-pit" primary crusher. Crushed ore is conveyed to a product stockpile area (ROM stockpile) near the mineral processing plant. Excess ore is stored and crushed as required.

In pit crushing and screening
Oversize ore is crushed using a “in-pit” jaw crusher to reduce the size of the ore for further downstream processes. The crushed ore is conveyed to a designated Run of Mine (ROM) stockpile area.

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