Weir has announced that it has secured a contract to supply Enduron high pressure grinding rolls (HPGR) to Ivanhoe Mines’ Platreef mine as part of its upcoming Phase 2 expansion. The value of the contract has not been disclosed.

An HPGR circuit is planned to be included as part of the Phase 2 concentrator’s tertiary crushing. The use of HPGRs at the Platreef mine is said to be a result of their successful operation at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which Ivanhoe Mines operates in joint venture with Zijin Mining.

The Platreef mine, located approximately 280 km north-east of Johannesburg, South Africa, is one of the world’s largest precious metals deposits under development. Phase 1 of the Platreef mine began production in November 2025, with the Phase 2 expansion expected to be complete by the end of 2027. Ivanhoe Mines is planning a further phase of expansion that targets the Platreef mine to become one of the world’s largest and lowest-cost platinum group metal producers.

Enduron HPGRs are designed to deliver energy-efficient comminution solutions, consuming up to 40% less energy than traditional tumbling mills, helping to reduce operating costs and lower carbon emissions.

Weir director: HPGR and process Bjorn Dierx said: “There has been a discernible trend in the mining sector towards reducing its environmental impact in recent years. The continued adoption of HPGR systems as the preferred solution for efficient, high-performance and sustainable ore processing provides one of the most significant opportunities in this regard.”

“We understand the importance of being close to our customers and, in this case, we have a service centre less than 10 km from the site to ensure we can provide immediate support during operations,” Dierx added.

Ivanhoe Mines executive VP: projects Steve Amos noted: “HPGR technology is now fairly standard in the mining industry and has proven to be cost and energy efficient. Ivanhoe Mines has extensive HPGR operational experience gained from the three operating HPGRs at our Kamoa copper mine in DRC. We look forward to a successful and long-lasting partnership with Weir.”