eBusiness Weekly
Anglo American Platinum
The assets of Anglo American Platinum Limited (Amplats) consist of 11 managed mines across South Africa and in Zimbabwe that together produce nearly 2,4 million ounces of platinum annually, worth more than $2,2 billion in fall 2017 prices. Most of the ore from these mines is processed at one of Amplats’ 14 own concentrators before being smelted at one of the company’s three refineries in South Africa.
Impala Platinum
Impala Platinum (Implats), whose operations are focused around the Bushveld Complex in South Africa and the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe, produces nearly 1,6 million ounces of platinum yearly, making it the planet’s second-largest producer. The company’s primary operational unit is on the western limb of the Complex near Rustenburg. In Zimbabwe, the company operates Zimplats and has an interest in Mimosa Platinum.
Lonmin
Lonmin, which was initially incorporated as the London and Rhodesian Mining and Land Company Ltd. (Lonrho) in 1909, produces 687,272 ounces of platinum yearly, putting it at No. 3 on the list. The company’s primary operation, the Marikana mine, is on the western limb of the Bushveld complex. Ore extracted by Lonmin is sent to Lonmin’s process division where base metals, including copper and nickel, are extracted before it is refined to metal along with other platinum group metals, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, and iridium.
Norilsk Nickel
Norilsk Nickel (Norilsk) is the world’s largest producer of nickel (accounting for 17 percent of global production) and palladium (41 percent), and a top 10 producer of copper. It also produces 683,000 ounces of platinum annually.
Aquarius
Aquarius Platinum Ltd has interests in seven properties in South Africa and Zimbabwe, two of which are currently producing 418,461 ounces of platinum per year. The Kroondal and Mimosa mines are, respectively, located in the Bushveld Complex in South Africa and Great Dyke in Zimbabwe.
Northam Platinum Limited
Northam, an integrated PGM producer with operations in focused around the Bushveld Complex in South Africa, produces 175 000 ounces of platinum a year.
The company’s primary facility is the Zondereinde platinum mine and metallurgical complex. Toll refining for PGM concentrate takes place under contract with WC Heraeus in Germany and is delivered on a weekly basis to Heraeus’ Hanau facility where platinum, palladium, rhodium, gold, silver, ruthenium and iridium are all separated.
Sibanye Stillwater
Sibanye Stillwater produces nearly 155,000 ounces of platinum annually. The company’s main assets are located along the 28-mile-long J-M Reef ore body in Montana, which consists primarily of palladium, platinum and a minor amount of rhodium.
Vale SA
Vale SA is the world’s second-largest mining company, the leading producer of iron ore and pellets and the world’s second-biggest nickel producer. It also produces 134 000 ounces of platinum annually. As many nickel ores also contain PGMs, Vale is able to extract platinum as a by-product of its nickel-refining process.
Glencore
Glencore produces just over 80,000 ounces of platinum a year. Its Eland and Mototolo mines — the latter a joint venture with Anglo Platinum — are located along the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex in the Transvaal Basin in South Africa.
Asahi Holdings
Japan-based Asahi Holding produces about 75 000 ounces of platinum a year as part of its precious metals group. The company collects, refines and recycles precious and rare metals used in electronics, catalysts, dentistry, jewelry, and photography. As the group notes on its website:
“By recycling gold, silver, palladium, platinum, indium, and others as precious metals and rare metal products indispensable for modern manufacturing, we contribute to effective utilisation of resources and development of industry.” — Terence Bell (thebalance.com) and Business Writer.
