Around 20 million tonnes of manganese are produced each year. South Africa is the leading producer, with 37% of global output, followed by Gabon and Australia. China dominates manganese processing, especially for battery-grade high purity manganese sulfate (HPMSM), accounting for 95% of production. This creates a strategic bottleneck in the global market for battery materials and the primary reason why refined manganese is considered a critical raw material.