South Africa's Nafasi Technologies Launches Waste Sludge-to-Fertilizer Raw Material Project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On July 13, 2026, the first module of the waste sludge treatment facility of Nafasi Technologies (a joint venture between Nafasi Water Technologies and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa) has been commissioned at the Highveld Industrial Park in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga Province. The project converts by-products from mining-impacted water treatment processes into fertilizer raw materials.

Operated by Nafasi Technologies, the facility aims to recover and select waste sludge from mining-impacted water treatment processes, transforming it into marketable chemical raw materials for fertilizer production. Located in Mpumalanga Province, a region characterized by heavy industrial activity, coal transition pressures, mine water risks, and agricultural demand, the project is supported by investment from the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa. This investment underpins a new circular economy industrial platform that integrates mining, water treatment, chemical manufacturing, and agriculture into a single value chain, aiming to build new industrial capabilities and promote localization.

Suzie Nkambule, CEO of Nafasi Water Technologies, stated that the Mpumalanga region requires investment in alternative industries to address energy transition challenges and the long-term impact of coal mining on water resources. Nafasi Technologies' engineering innovation addresses this by building new industrial ventures while enhancing watershed resilience. Rian Coetzee, Executive President of the Industrial Planning and Development Division, noted that the project is a locally developed technology platform with the potential to establish new manufacturing capabilities, localize imported raw materials, enhance water resilience, and create a scalable model for industrial renewal in mining regions.

Nafasi Water already operates mine water recovery facilities in the region, positioning the Highveld Industrial Park facility close to its primary raw material source. Nafasi Technologies plans to maximize value extraction from waste by-products through further technological development, including the potential deployment of ion exchange processes to directly recover useful chemicals from mining-impacted water. The project aims to pave the way for continued innovation in South Africa's circular water technology capabilities and further industrial investment.