Following the start of a drilling campaign for metallurgical testwork purposes at its Waterberg project, platinum and palladium developer Platinum Group Metals announced in its third quarter 2026 results that it has started small-scale physical work activities including work on initial road construction, construction water supply and first stage accommodation facilities.

While more work is planned, first contractor site establishment is planned for this month and a construction manager to oversee activities, now on site, was recently appointed by mining advisory Fraser McGill’s project office.

During March 2023, the Waterberg Joint Venture (JV) Company assisted two local landowners to apply for mining permits to mine aggregate for the Waterberg project’s construction purposes. To date, Platinum Group Metals has received responses on requests for quotation sent to these contractors to start to mine, extract, crush and stockpile the aggregate for use in road upgrade work proximal to the Waterberg project’s mine site.

The Waterberg JV Company also prepared applications to State power utility Eskom for cost estimate letters and paid Eskom for a budget quotation for construction of a temporary 22 000 V, 3 MVA electrical feed to the Waterberg project mine site during construction and development.

Detailed engineering work is underway to determine the best route for the 30-km-long temporary powerline, associated equipment selection and initial procurement activities for construction once the infrastructure is approved by Eskom, notes Platinum Group Metals in a statement.

The detailed planning and permitting with Eskom for the establishment of servitudes for permanent power line routes to accommodate about 70 km of 132 MVA power line to the Waterberg project is ongoing. Power line environmental and servitude work is being completed by specialist consultants and high-voltage engineering company Kumena Consulting, in coordination with Eskom.

In terms of water infrastructure, the Waterberg JV Company has also completed the next phase of certain necessary maintenance and water infrastructure upgrades on the Early Dawn farm. The Waterberg JV Company is awaiting available dates from the Capricorn district municipality and Blouberg local municipality to formally hand over this completed phase of the project.

The Waterberg JV Company also intends to start with the necessary maintenance of certain water infrastructure on the Ketting farm. For this, a contractor has been appointed, and Waterberg JV Company has received formal written approval from the Capricorn district municipality to start with this work.

Both of these water infrastructure upgrades form a part of a bulk water reticulation local economic development programme under the Waterberg JV Company’s social and labour plan.

Going Forward

While small-scale physical work activities are underway, Platinum Group Metals reports that about $9.2-million of the $21-million pre-