Northam Platinum, listed on the JSE, saw a 3.7% annual increase in refined PGMs output and a 14.8% rise in chrome concentrate production for the six months ending December 31.
The company’s own operations produced 467,818 ounces of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and gold (4E), and 822,759 tonnes of chrome concentrate during the period. Northam also noted that equivalent refined PGMs sourced from third parties amounted to 83,448 ounces of 4E, marking a 39.7% increase compared to the previous year.
“Our operations performed well,” Northam stated in an update to shareholders.
The Zondereinde mine in Limpopo is benefiting from improved logistics and reduced congestion, thanks to shifting UG2 stoping from the western areas to the more productive eastern sections. This shift has also boosted mining productivity due to concentrated Merensky stoping in the western extension.
At the Booysendal mine in Mpumalanga, the focus remains on enhancing productivity and efficiency. Meanwhile, the Eland mine is making strong progress in its ramp-up program, with improvements seen in both square meters and tonnes mined.
Northam further reported that stoping continues to ramp up in the western extension section at Zondereinde. The equipping of 3 Shaft for personnel and material transport, as well as for service provision, is close to completion.
The company adds that reaming of 3a Ventilation Shaft also continues, noting that both shafts are scheduled for commissioning during the first quarter of the 2026 calendar year.
The company says this will deliver sustainable efficiency benefits to mining in the western extension.
Pilot drilling of 4 Shaft, which will be a rock hoisting shaft, is complete, and reaming has begun.
Meanwhile, at Booysendal, Northam says decline development is continuing to increase mineable reserves and operational flexibility.
At the Eland mine, Northam says ore production from underground mining is ramping up.
In addition, the reconfiguration of the mine’s ventilation circuit has enabled multi-blast conditions, which allow accelerated decline development rates.
The company says the focus remains on strike and raise development in order to increase mineable reserves.
The ongoing ramp-up of stoping is improving feed volumes and grades to the concentrator, and further enhancements to the concentrator circuits are yielding additional benefits to PGM and chrome production.
At the group’s metallurgical facilities, Northam says, upgrades to the base metal removal plant have been completed and the new furnace slag concentrator is processing slag inventory at a satisfactory pace.
