Platinum-group metals (PGMs) miner Anglo American Platinum’s (Amplats’) Mogalakwena mine is set to be a sustainable venture going forward, with high cutoff grades and plans to ensure the mine has steady output, according to mine senior GM Richard Cox.

He addressed key mining industry role-players at the thirty-second edition of mining networking platform the Africa Mining Network (AMN), which was held in Johannesburg last month.

Cox was appointed GM of the Mogalakwena mine in 2013 and addressed guests of the AMN on the ‘road to value’ of the Mogalakwena mine during his tenure. He said that teamwork was a significant contributor to achieving long-term targets, and building a cohesive working environment had been his endeavour. Describing the close-knit community of miners, Cox said: “In the dark, heat, dust and noise is where some special relationships and teamwork are built.”

Teamwork, he added, could be built using the three G’s philosophy: gees, gooi and geld. Cox explained that gees (morale and good spirits) needed to be fostered in conjunction with gooi (ensuring there is sufficient effort exerted by employees to reach targets), which would result in geld (making a notable profit).

He outlined Amplats’ future strategy, stating that the company aimed to be a global leader in the PGMs industry, “from the resource to the market, for a better future for all”. Linked to this goal was the company’s vision to improve the “standard of living for all stakeholders” through the repositioning of assets.

Cox noted that Amplats had been in transition for a number of years. “We have been in a phase of restructuring since 2013, focusing on the reshaping of the Rustenburg area, and the readiness of the business for exit. As of late, we are in the throws of repositioning the portfolio so that we can retain assets.” For example, he noted Amplats had placed its Twickenham mine on care and maintenance. “These plans are to ensure long-term value through the cycle, focusing on high-quality assets, low-cost production and high volumes of ounces,” said Cox, adding that the reduction of safety risk was also incorporated into the company’s plans to ensure miners “go home in the same shape they arrive in”.

Another aspect that added value to the Mogalakwena mine was its inclusion of the local communities, noted Cox. The mine’s location required the relocation of three communities to other sites, which received ongoing support from Amplats for their continual development.

“Traditional authority is an ancient tradition,” he said, adding that it needed to be learned and respected. “It was a major learning curve for Mogalakwena and myself to understand how traditional authority works.”

Cox said education about traditional authority was about transformation, reconciliation and nation building.