DOD Invests in Sustainable Domestic Production of Battery-Grade Manganese

The Department of Defense has awarded $20 million to South32 through the Defense Production Act Investment Program, supporting the latter’s Hermosa Project in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, to produce battery-grade manganese sustainably.

The initiative aligns with the 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy to enhance domestic production and strengthen the industry’s supply chain resilience, Defense .gov reported.

The investment will help South32 expedite the Hermosa Project, potentially advancing ore delivery by up to two years.

Anthony Di Stasio, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial base resilience, noted that the South32 investment marks the first DPA award for manganese production and aims to reduce import dependency.

The award is one of 16 investments worth $356 million made under the DPAI program since the start of fiscal year 2024. Upon project completion, Western Australia-based South32 will be the first domestic and sustainable producer of battery-grade manganese.