Obscure precious metal takes centre stage for platinum giants
The rise of rhodium, the world’s most expensive precious metal, has made it the No. 1 revenue stream of the biggest platinum miners.
While the metal is well shy of its March peak, rhodium still accounted for 45% of Anglo American Platinum’s first-half revenues. That’s more than platinum and palladium put together. For parent Anglo American, the silvery-white metal generated more revenue than the diamonds mined by its De Beers business or the copper it extracts in Chile and Peru.
The scarcity of rhodium -- a byproduct of platinum and palladium mining -- and its unparalleled ability to curb nitrogen oxides from car exhaust fumes pushed up prices as stricter pollution laws boost demand. In March, it climbed to a record $29 800 an ounce, making it 17 times more valuable than gold. Originally used for decoration or as corrosion-resistant coating, rhodium has also become the biggest export for South Africa, which produces more than 80% of global supply.
“Rhodium prices have retreated somewhat but continue to contribute significantly to revenues particularly for rhodium-rich mines,” said Mandi Dungwa, a mining analyst at Kagiso Asset Management in Cape Town.
With rhodium declining more than 40% from its peak, that contribution may not be repeated. Impala Platinum Chief Executive Officer Nico Muller expects market tightness to keep the metal above $15 000 an ounce for the next year, but Neal Froneman, his counterpart at Sibanye Stillwater, expects prices to fall to a more “sustainable level” of about $10 000 over the next two years.
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