OVERVIEWMiningNew names,
OVERVIEWMiningNew names, new money.The Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine, the Styldrift Mineand two concentrators, pictured, are under new ownershipand the new entity has been named Impala Bafokeng. Thecomplex was previously under the ownership of RoyalBafokeng Platinum (RBPlat). The Maseve mining operation, whichwas part of the transaction, is under care and maintenance. ImpalaBafokeng is a subsidiary of Implats following the latter’s purchasein 2023 of RBPlat.The newly acquired platinum group metals (PGM) complex,which lies directly south of Sun City, is adjacent to ImplatsRustenburg’s land. The Impala Rustenburg operation comprises anine-shaft mining complex and concentrating and smelting plants.Implats CEO Nico Muller was quoted in the Financial Mail as sayingthat the RBPlat acquisition would effectively extend the life-ofmineof the combined Rustenburg operations by “at least 10 years”.Implats has used the occasion of the purchase to implementnew empowerment ownership structures at both of its North Westassets. Impala Bafokeng employs about 10 000 people whereasthere are about 40 000 employees at Impala Rustenburg. Acommunity-share ownership trust will operate across the twocompanies and employees will be offered a new employee-shareownership trust. A broad-based empower-ment consortium will beled by Siyanda Resources.SECTOR INSIGHTR9-billion has beeninvested in Matlosana.There is another new name inmining in South Africa as a result ofthe demerger of Anglo AmericanPlatinum (Amplats) from the AngloAmerican group. The company’sannual report announced that itwill be known as Valterra Platinum.Although the Amandelbultcomplex (comprising two mines)lies just outside of the provincialboundaries in Limpopo, Amplatsis a significant contri-butor to theeconomy of the wider region.The company was highlightedby North West Provincial PremierLazarus Mokgosi in the State ofthe Province Address (SOPA) inFebruary 2025. Describing theNORTH WEST BUSINESS 2025/2616PHOTO: Impala Bafokeng
OVERVIEWprovincial government’s “ongoing efforts to foster relations with theprivate sector to address road infrastructure backlogs”, Amplats waslauded for its contribution in this regard. The other company to drawpraise was Impala Bafokeng.Two new investments into the province in the miningsection were also remarked upon by the Premier, the injection byHarmony Gold and China Africa Precious Metals of R9-billion intothe City of Matlosana.Pilanesberg Platinum Mines has been active 80km north-westof Rustenburg since 2009. Mining operations are conducted bycontractors while PPM manages the concentrator (screen, crush,mill, float, thicken and dry). The operation has annually achieved anaverage of about 150 000 ounces of PGM concentrate.PGM miner Sibanye Stillwater will spend a further R3.9-billion on anexpansion project at its Marikana mine, after previous owner Lonminspent more than R4-billion on it. The aim is to be producing 250 000ozper year of platinum, gold, palladium and rhodium in 2028.Small business supportThe Platinum Incubator (TPI) is an initiative of the Platinum Trust ofSouth Africa and has among its partners Anglo American, the NorthWest Development Corporation, the University of Johannesburg,the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa)and Orbit TVET College. The Mining Qualifications Authority is anequity partner.Pilanesberg Platinum Mines created Community Crusher as anonprofit enterprise but with 14 employees and a steady set oforders for building projects run by the company, the small businessis starting to show signs of becoming a bigger business. Many minesrun similar programmes, sourcing goods and services from localcommunity-based companies and sometimes providing mentoringand advice on how to improve as businesses.Implats has a programme of procurement in which it supportslocal business and black-owned businesses through enterprise andsupplier development programmes. Impala Rustenburg has builtand is supporting an Economic Inclusion Centre to support SMMEs.One of the initiatives to extract more value from mining is theproposed Platinum Valley Special Economic Zone. Creating a base forcompanies to supply the mining industry is one of the key driversbehind the scheme.ONLINE RESOURCESDepartment of Mineral Resources and Energy: www.dmr.gov.zaNorth West Development Corporation: www.nwdc.co.zaThe Platinum Incubator: www.tpi.org.zaMineral resourcesThe North West Province is alignedwith the Western Limb of the BushveldIgneous Complex, a remarkablyrich minerals formation.Mines in the province produce50% of the platinum producedin the world, and 65% of SouthAfrica’s PGMs. Chromite is the othermajor mineral mined throughoutthe province, and there areseveral ferrochrome smelters andother processing plants. SouthAfrica produces about 70% ofthe world’s chrome. Gold anduranium are found along theborder of the province withGauteng and the Free State(in Klerksdorp and Orkney).Diamonds are mined atChristiana, Bloemhof andLichtenburg. Other minerals includefluorspar, vanadium, rhodium,uranium, copper, limestone, slate,phosphate, manganese, coaland nickel.Limestone quarries run by G&WBase and Industrial Minerals inthe Marico District are locatednext to a PPC cement factory.One of the last economicallyviable limestone deposits inSouth Africa is mined andprocessed by Sephaku Cement.Sephaku runs a 6 000-ton-perdayclinker plant nearLichtenburg. AfriSam, PPCand Lafarge are active in theMahikeng/Lichtenburg area,but Sephaku is confident that itsclinker and cement-productionfacilities will be supported byraw materials for at least 30years. AfriSam has taken measuresto reduce carbon emissions at itsDudfield cement plant. ■17 NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2025/26
