Negotiations to reach a pay deal have been unsuccessful, even after the government and an arbitration body joined the discussions between Transnet and its biggest labor unions.

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence says spot market pricing will feed through to long term contracts signed by automakers.

Investors piled into The Metals Company on Wednesday after it said it completed its first collection run of battery metals from more than four kilometres below the surface of the Pacific ocean.

Transnet declared force majeure last week after its workers went on strike over a wage dispute.

Transnet declared force majeure at its ports on Thursday.

South32 aims to accelerate development of the first new US manganese mine for decades as carmakers rush to secure supply of the metal needed in EV batteries.