THE PROBLEM
Approximately 10 million tonnes of manganese ore move from the Kalahari Manganese Belt to export terminals eacH year by road. The dominant corridor, Hotazel to Ngqura, covers roughly 1,100 km. Water is the most commonly used dust suppressant, but not the most cost-effective. Every litre added at the mine must then be hauled, handled, and ultimately paid for as dead weight on the invoice.
WHAT MOISTURE COSTS
On a 34-tonne truck, every 1 % of moisture equals 0.34 tonnes of water. That water displaces saleable ore and is deducted from the invoice before the mine is paid. The cost scales directly with moisture: the chart shows the annual bill to a 500-truck fleet at each level; the table breaks it down per trip.
Water-only dust suppression typically adds 3%+ moisture. BM515E achieves better dust control at 0.5 to 1 %. The gap between those two rows is the opportunity.
Basis: trucking rate R1 .40/tkm over 1,100 km (R1 ,540/tonne, of which -R118 is diesel at R30.64/litre); manganese priced per dry metric tonne unit (dmtu), so all moisture is deducted before payment. Fleet: 500 trucks, 34-tonne payload, 150,000 trips per year.
The Treatment Gap Nobody Talks About
Railed ore is chemically treated at the mines prior to shipment. Fine particles are bound to coarser material. Surface tension is modified to enhance this binding process. The treated material is stable, typically requiring under 0.5% moisture addition to achieve over 90% dust reduction, and it maintains that stability for the journey from the Northern Cape to the coast.
The Benmarc Solution: Treat at Source, Travel Clean
BM515E binds dust fines to larger ore particles with a single application at the loading point. It achieves 90%+ dust reduction at just 0.5 to 1 % moisture, against the 3%+ and roughly 80% reduction that water-only methods deliver with constant reapplication. The binding effect persists for up to 14 days and carries through multiple transfer points, so the load travels clean from mine to port without re-wetting.
Benmarc is not a chemical supplier. Through its Total Dust Management model, TOM® (Total Dust Management), it delivers chemistry, engineering, fabrication, installation, and maintenance under one supplier, on one contract. With the National Dust Control Regulations 2026 tightening limits and NEMA Section 24G fines reaching R5 million, treating dust at source is now a compliance position as much as a cost one.
BEYOND THE DIRECT COST
The per-trip economics capture only the direct payload cost. Excess moisture creates compounding costs downstream:
Port penalties and TML compliance
Manganese ore fines are classified as Group A cargo under the IMSBC Code, and may liquefy if shipped above their Transportable Moisture Limit. Cargo exceeding TML cannot be loaded, causing demurrage of US$15,000 to 50,000 per day. Every drop of water added at the mine reduces the available moisture budget for safe shipping.
Material handling and conveyor life
Wet manganese sticks to truck bodies, chutes, and conveyor belts. Belt carry-back accounts for up to 3% of throughput as waste. Chute blockages from wet fines can shut down processing for hours.
The Markman crisis
In June 2026, the Daily Maverick reported that the Markman airshed in Gqeberha has reached a state of saturation, with dust deposition far exceeding the NDCR non-residential limit of 1,200 mg/m2/day. This crisis is about ore treatment: material arriving at port with excessive fines and inadequate dust control generates emissions at every handling step.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Water is the expensive option
THE PROBLEM
R1.911bn
The annual cost of 3% unnecessary moisture across a 500-truck fleet:
hauled water and displaced ore, paid for at every trip.
THE SOLUTION
0.5 - 1%
BM515E moisture addition, from a single application that binds dust at source.
90%+
dust suppression.
14 days
residual effect