Gearing up at Steenkampskraal
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Gearing up at Steenkampskraal
Work at the Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine in the Western Cape is forging ahead.
By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and editor of the WhyAfrica magazine.
It takes almost 1000 steps to the bottom of the shaft at the Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine (SMM) close to Vanrhynsdorp in the Western Cape.
To get down, is reasonably easy, even with all the safety gear, backpacks, camera’s, voice recorders, drinking water and notebooks. To get back up is a different kettle of fish.
The WhyAfrica team had our work cut out for us on day 14 of the 2025 WhyAfrica Road trip as we ventured down this historic mine, now fully in refurbishment mode.
Production imminent
Work is in full swing at the mine and production at the mini pilot plant is imminent.
Graham Soden, CEO of Steenkampskraal told us on site during an interview that the Steenkampskraal rare earth project is uniquely positioned with advanced development, allowing for immediate production and cash flow within two years.
“The project boasts a high-grade ore body, a 15 to 16 year production lifespan, and a cost-effective operation due to its high rare earth content.
“We’re in a unique position in that most of the mine development has already been done,” Soden said.
“It usually takes more than six years to bring a greenfields project into cash positive territory. Here we already have access with fantastic infrastructure which means it will take us only two to three years, so Steenkampskraal is really an advanced brownfields project.”
What makes Steenkampskraal exciting?
What makes Steenkampskraal so exciting, is that the mine will produce an extremely high-grade product compared to any other project in Africa and that Soden and his team will do that within a very short timespan.
The mine was operated by Anglo American producing monazite concentrate from about 1952 to 1963. The mine then went into dormancy for decades due to low demand for thorium and rare earths and in 2010 SMM was awarded the mining right to develop the deposit further.
Where to get more information
Read more about Steenkampskraal and all the other 17 mine sites we visited during the recent WhyAfrica Road Trip through South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho and southern Namibia in our upcoming Road Trip Review magazine and in our bi-weekly newsletters.
For more in-depth analysis and insight, the WhyAfrica Road Trip Member Report will be available for the public to purchase in the WhyAfrica online shop in December.
Remember, WhyAfrica members receive all publications, reports, research articles and content for free. To become a WhyAfrica member, visit the WhyAfrica website, your one stop-shop for on the ground information and intelligence about Africa.
During the 45-day long trip, we ventured underground five times and also visited and camped in eight of South Africa’s top national parks to focus on SANPark’s bold new vision 2040 and the exciting prospect of Mega Landscapes in South Africa.
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Gearing up at Steenkampskraal