JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Platinum group metals (PGMs) mining and marketing company Impala Platinum (Implats) on Friday expressed determination to maximise the tailwinds of strong prevailing PGM prices and deliver its guided business performance for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Six-element (6E) concentrate volumes were a 2% higher 824 000 oz in the three months to the end of September made up of unchanged managed volumes of 593 000 oz, 2% higher joint venture production to 141 000 oz, and 14% higher third-party receipts of 91 000 oz.

Aligned with scheduled processing maintenance, gross 6E refined and saleable production volumes declined by 5% to 705 000 oz, while 6E sales volumes of 708 000 oz were largely unchanged from those in the prior comparable period.

Electricity load curtailment by power utility Eskom necessitated adjustments to hoisting, concentrating and smelting rates, and socio-economic pressures were compounded by rising global inflation and local currency depreciation.

But notwithstanding the complex operating environment, Implats CEO Nico Muller reported good progress across the company’s suite of mining and processing projects, with revenue expected to remain robust and discussions with core customers confirming expectations of rising demand for key products over the coming year.

Guidance parameters for the financial year to the end of June have been maintained amid group unit costs and capital expenditure remaining vulnerable to sustained rand depreciation.

“We are determined to maximise the tailwinds of strong prevailing PGM prices and deliver our guided business performance in FY2023, for the benefit of all our stakeholders,” Muller stated in a release to Mining Weekly.

PRODUCTION

Gross tonnes milled at managed operations improved to 5.85-million tonnes on volume gains at Impala Rustenburg and Zimplats, stable production at Marula, and marginally lower mill throughput at Impala Canada.

Milled grade declined marginally to 3.61 g/t, resulting in unchanged 6E concentrate production of 593 000 oz at managed operations.

Concentrate production from the Mimosa and Two Rivers joint ventures improved by 2% to 141 000 oz, while third-party 6E concentrate deliveries to Impala Refining Service rose by 14% to 91 000 oz. Consequently, Group 6E-in-concentrate production increased by 2% to 824 000 oz.

Refined 6E production, which includes saleable ounces from Impala Canada, was impacted by scheduled processing maintenance and ongoing power disruptions in South Africa and declined by 5% to 705 000 oz. The scheduled maintenance was successfully completed in July and August, with smelting rates impacted by the increased frequency and severity of load curtailment in September.

Refined production of platinum declined by 4% and palladium by 3%, with a more notable reduction in refined volumes of rhodium and other minor PGMs. This timing difference was directly owing to the longer duration of the refining process for these precious metals and the impact thereon of the maintenance programme during the period.

IMPALA RUSTENBURG

Milled production at Impala Rustenburg increased by 2% to 2.65-million tonnes, but milled head grade declined by 4% to 3.85 g/t owing to changes in the ore mix across the shaft complex. As a result, 6E-in-concentrate production declined by 2% to 310 000 oz.

Production momentum at Impala Rustenburg was impacted by unprotected industrial action among the contractor workforce at the end of FY2022 and again in September 2022 when a two-day dispute arose with permanent workers as a result of the individual tax status of certain permanent employees, which impacted the quantum of their employee share ownership trust payouts. Production was further impacted by Eskom loadshedding during the reporting period and safety stoppages following the fatality at 16 Shaft.

Refined 6E production of 300 000 oz was 3% higher during the quarter, up from 292 000 oz in the prior comparable period.

ZIMPLATS

Zimplats’ tonnes milled increased by 3% to 1.73-million tonnes with the third concentrator plant commissioned towards period-end. Milled grade declined by 1% owing to changes in ore mix as production ceased at Rukodzi mine in the last quarter of the 2022 financial year. Concentrate production was 1% higher at 146 000 oz, while 140 000 oz of matte volumes was 3% lower following a scheduled furnace reline in the period.

MARULA

Marula sustained record milling volumes of 522 000 t but grade of 4.49 g/t declined by 5% on increased development tonnage from the Phase 2 extension project. Consequently, 6E-in-concentrate production was 5% lower at 68 000 oz.

IMPALA CANADA

Underground Impala Canada production volumes increased during the period as operating momentum improved, resulting in reduced milled volumes of opencast and surface material, compared with higher-grade underground material. As a result, milled throughput declined by 2% from the prior comparable period, but milled grade improved by 15% to 2.78 g/t, resulting in a 14% increase in 6E volumes in concentrate to 69 000 oz.

MIMOSA

Mimosa’s milled volumes were impacted by intermittent power interruptions and the decision to reduce milling rates to nameplate capacity, to assess the impact on recoveries, as part of the ongoing plant optimisation process. While tonnes milled was 3% lower at 680 000 t and milled grade declined 2% to 3.78 g/t, yield improvements resulted in stable 6E concentrate production of 61 000 oz.

TWO RIVERS

Tow Rivers’ milled volumes benefitted from expanded processing capacity and the increased processing of lower- grade material. Milled throughput increased by 10% to 933 000 t, milled head grade declined by 4%, with 6E-in-concentrate production rising by 4% to 80 000 oz.

IMPALA REFINING SERVICES

Impala Refining Services’ mine-to-market 6E receipts from Zimplats and Marula declined by 12% to 340 000 oz, while third-party receipts increased by 14% to 91 000 oz compared to the prior comparable period. Purchases benefitted from the receipt of accumulated Zimplats matte following the deferral of deliveries.

Refined 6E production in the prior comparable period benefited from increased receipts and the destocking of previously accumulated inventory. Consequently, refined production was 14% lower at 340 000 oz in the period under review.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Implats’ priority is to eliminate harm to the health and safety of its employees and contractors. Regrettably, during the quarter ended September 30, the group reported he death of Estevao Matsimbe in a  fatal incident at its managed operations, resulting from an equipment accident at 16 Shaft, Impala Rustenburg.

The group’s lost-time injury frequency rate deteriorated by 2% to 4.04 per million person hours worked from 3.95 reported in the previous comparable quarter, while the all-injury frequency rate improved by 1% to 9.58.