https://www.miningweekly.com

Good progress on converter plant repair – Amplats

8th May 2020

By: Martin Creamer

Creamer Media Editor

     

Font size: - +

Platinum group metals (PGMs) mining and marketing company Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) said late last month that repairs to its Anglo Converter Plant (ACP) Phase B, which had continued throughout the national Covid-19 lockdown period, were making good progress and were on schedule.

Amplats’ chain of processing facilities, as well as the Phase B unit that was meant to replace it, was temporarily closed on March 6 following an explosion.

Repairs started on the Phase B unit, with most of the replacement waffle cooler equipment obtained from the undamaged waffle coolers in the Phase A unit or from spares available in inventory, Amplats said in a release.

All procurement of additional equipment was from within South Africa, without any supply chain disruption being experienced.

The original estimated time for repairs was 80 days, with a completion date of around May 25.

Refined PGMs production, including tolling, decreased by 15% to 743 900 oz, owing to the ACP closure and the declaration of force majeure to secure a safe operating environment.

In the three months to March 31, PGMs production decreased 7%, compared with the prior year’s first quarter, to 954 800 oz. This led to a loss of 61 000 oz of PGMs in the quarter, largely owing to the impact of shutdowns implemented in response to Covid-19.

Amplats managed mines’ PGMs production decreased by 7% to 560 100 oz and joint venture PGMs production decreased by 10% to 188 800 oz.

PGM sales volumes decreased 13% to 681 300 oz on lower refined production, partially supplemented by a draw down in refined palladium inventory.

Covid-19 Update

Safe shutdowns implemented across all operations later extended to limited mining operations at the opencast Mogalakwena PGMs mine and the start-up of Polokwane smelter this month.

Amplats is in a strong financial position, with net cash of R11.8-billion as at March 31 and committed financial facilities of R20.5-billion.

Cost and capital expenditure savings of more than R4-billion have been identified for 2020.

During lockdown, employees are continuing to be paid their full fixed pay, as well as pension and medical benefits and housing allowances, where applicable, and local host communities continue to be supported through a comprehensive response plan focusing on providing food and water, and training and the supply of equipment to clinics and hospitals.

A response plan is in place to deliver a range of support for suppliers.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION