A significantly improved platinum-group-metals (PGMs) processing method has been developed with the assistance of South Africa’s State-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel has informed Parliament.

In response to questions posed by Shadow Economic Development Minister Dr Michael Cardo of the Democratic Alliance (DA), Patel said he had been advised by the IDC of its participation in feasibility studies aimed at reducing electricity consumption in domestic processing of not only PGMs, but also ferrochrome.

He said that, in the case of PGMs, the breakthrough involved the complete elimination of smelting, as well as the upgrading of low-grade PGM concentrates.

The PGM technology is said to be a “game changer” because of the benefits the platinum industry would derive from its adoption.

Testwork has indicated a 20% cut in electricity consumption, as well as the elimination of carbon dioxide emissions from the new environment-friendly technology that is also unaffected by the presence of chrome in PGM ores – the bane of the smelting route.

Regarding ferrochrome processing, the Minister told Cardo that the envisaged cut in ferrochrome production costs by 20% below the global average would be brought about by the use of waste gases to preheat chrome ore ahead of it being fed into furnaces.

Parliament was told that the IDC’s participation followed an internal study that identified high costs as a major reason for recent ferrochrome smelter closures.

In a video interview last month, IDC divisional executive: mining and metals industries Abel Malinga told Mining Weekly that the IDC was going all out to support technologies that enabled South Africa to beneficiate far more effectively.

In addition to PGMs and ferrochrome, he also disclosed the promotion of another low-energy technology involving the use of fines to produce SupaScrap, a material earmarked to relieve the acute shortage of high-quality ferrous scrap metal.

Securing sufficient ferrous scrap metal of the correct quality to ensure the efficient and sustainable operation of electric arc furnaces has been challenging for some time.

Malinga explained that the new consistent and cheaper material was poised not only to solve the scrap scarcity problem, but also to lower the cost of domestic steel- making.

The overall outcome of these initiatives, he explained, was to improve South Africa’s competitiveness.