About Us
Mapochs Resources started its operations in South Africa with a focus on sustainable mining practices and innovative technology. Our dedication to excellence has driven our growth and reputation in the mining industry.
About Mapochs Resources
Mapochs Resources started operations in 2014, with 100 000 tons of bulk sampling material in terms of its prospecting right.
Production Profile
The annual production of Run- of- Mine is around 3 million tons from the open cast operations in the Mapochs Mine. There remains a number of unexplored area at the mining area which can potentially extend the Life-Of-Mine substantially. The Mine’s production is supported by railway service connecting between the Mine and the Maputo ports in Mozambique, and R555 provincial road which connects the town of Stoffberg to Steelpoort.
The operation and mineral processing plants were divided into 2 blocks, one in the north and one in the south with approximately 30 kilometers in length and approximately 2.7 kilometers in width.
Employees
The core principle of Mapochs Resources is that the local community’s must benefit from the company’s work. Mapochs endeavours to attract talent from the surrounding area. If the required skills or experience are not available locally, recruitment is done nationally.
Approximately 69.57% of all employees reside within the Elias Motsoaledi Municipality. 58.62% of employees reside within the town of Roossenekal, the town closest to Mapochs Mine. 79.92% of the mine’s employees are from the Greater Sekhukhune District in Limpopo. The mine has prioritised sourcing employees from the areas surrounding the mine and within the province of Limpopo.
Mapochs Mine
South Africa holds some of the world's largest and highest-grade vanadium deposits, primarily within the Bushveld Complex. As a major global supplier, the country possesses a significant portion of global reserves, alongside China and Russia.
Production at Mapochs Mine began in 1967 under Anglo American, with ore primarily supplied to Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation. For decades, Mapochs was a key supplier of VTM lumps and fines to South Africa’s vanadium and steel industries, with annual production reaching 2 million tons at its peak.
In 2017, International Resources Limited successfully acquired the mine through public auction, with a vision to revitalise operations and restore Mapochs to its position as a leading global vanadium producer.
Mapochs Mine benefits from robust infrastructure, ensuring cost-efficient and reliable operations:
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Rail & Port Access – A dedicated railway line links the mine to major ports, including Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, and Maputo, enabling smooth export logistics.
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Road Connectivity – Direct access via the S555 provincial highway connects the mine to regional towns and ports.
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Power & Water Security – Reliable electricity is supplied by the nearby 800 MW Kusile thermal power station, and water needs are met by a 500,000 m³ capacity dam just 10 km away.
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Our mission is to unlock the full potential of the Mapochs deposit, ensuring sustainable production, supporting the global green steel and energy storage industries, and contributing to local economic growth through job creation and community development.
About Mapochs Mine
Mapochs Mine is a world-class, high-grade Vanadium-bearing Titano-Magnetite (VTM) deposit located in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Renowned for its exceptional quality, the mine once supplied more than 10% of the world’s annual vanadium demand, solidifying its place as a strategic contributor to the global vanadium market.
With over 21 million tons of proven high-grade resources (average V₂O₅ grade of 1.5%+) — and significant unexplored potential — Mapochs is one of the highest-grade vanadium mines in the world. Its location within the Main Magnetite Layer (MML) of the Bushveld Complex offers excellent geological continuity and low exploration risk, providing substantial opportunities to extend the mine’s Life-of-Mine (LOM).
The Mapochs Mine is located on the lower sequences of the Upper Zone of the Southern part of the Eastern Bushveld complex. The Upper Zone in this area is approximately 2,000m thick and essentially comprised of olivine diorite and gabbro, which hosts up to 22 inter-layered magnetite layers of variable thickness, extent, and economic viability. Mapochs Mine division is currently exploiting the Main Magnetite Seam, which is the thickest of these layers within the vicinity.
Mapochs Mine is located on the lower sequences of the Upper Zone of the southern part of the eastern BIC.
There are three fundamental magnetite reef environments. From the surface downward, these are eluvial ore (rubble), weathered exposed in-situ reef (pavement), and fresh in-situ reef (seam). The latter two can be further subdivided into so-called ‘disseminated’ and ‘massive’, according to magnetite content. Where magnetite content is 50% or less the reef may be referred to as disseminated, and where it is greater than 50%, massive.
Company Values
We believe in preserving the environment and ensuring every worker goes home safe and sound.
We provide facilities at our mine and provide health and safety policy to all employees in accordance with MHSA regulations to ensure that all employees are equipped with the knowledge and ability to work in a safe environment.
Management Team
Mapochs is led by a highly experienced team of mining professionals with significant expertise in the international mining and resource development sector, with strong Africa-wide knowledge and a reputation as responsible operators.
Nelson Efraime Taimo
Director and Chief Executive Officer
Nelson Taimo, CEO of International Resources Limited, is an entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in project development, management, and business development across petrochemical, manufacturing, energy, and mining sectors. He served on the South Africa-Mozambique Chamber of Commerce, promoting trade, and consulted for Mozambican state-owned companies. His experience spans Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Guinea, Benin, Eswatini, and Namibia.
Phenyane Mighty Mokalapa
Director and Finance Manager
Phenyane Mighty Mokalapa is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (BAP(SA), GTP(SA)) with a Master’s in Accounting Science from the University of South Africa. She has extensive experience in financial management in mining, with prior roles at Fluor SA and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Yong Yao
Head of Geology and Exploration
Dr. Yong Yao has over 43 years of experience in geology and exploration across China, South Africa, and Africa. He holds a Ph.D. from the Technical University of Munich and served as Director at Rhodes University (2011–2014). He specializes in gold, copper, manganese, and other mineral deposits, with prior roles at Sichuan Anglo Platinum.
Neo Makhohlisa
Mine Manager
Neo Makhohlisa holds a National Higher Diploma in Metalliferous Mining and a Mine Manager’s Certificate. With over 30 years in mining, he has served as Mine Manager at Mapochs Resources since 2019, overseeing operations, compliance, and cost management, with prior roles at Anglo Ashanti and Evraz Mapochs.