Mpumalanga Business 2023-24

OVERVIEW
Terminal had operated at full capacity in 2021, an additional R47-
billion would have been generated in exports.
Afrimat, previously listed on the JSE in the “Construction
and Building Materials” section, has changed its classification
to “General Mining”, a recognition of the company’s ambitious
buying programme in the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga. With
construction and building now contributing just 20% to operating
profit, Afrimat is active in anthracite and iron ore and will further
expand into phosphates, rare earth elements and vermiculite.
Among its new acquisitions, Afrimat now controls the Nkomati
Anthracite mine in Mpumalanga. The mine, which is in the southeastern
corner of the province, has proven resources of 8.7-million
tons and upwards of 400 jobs were created over the last two years.
Local communities have a 16.1% stake in the relaunched mine and
the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) holds 34%.
Platinum
Platinum is an important mineral for the modern economy. Two
Rivers is a joint venture between Implats (46%) and African Rainbow
Minerals which is located on the southern part of the eastern limb
of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, 35km south-west of Burgersfort
in Mpumalanga. Northam Platinum, which has assets on both limbs
of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, has purchased the Everest mine
from Aquarius Platinum. Everest is adjacent to Northam’s existing
Booysendal mine.
Jubilee Platinum has sold its Smelting and Refining business
in Middelburg to Siyanda Resources. Sylvania Platinum now has
seven PGM recovery plants that extract chrome from tailings on
both sides of the Bushveld Igneous Complex.
Lydenburg is home to the Lion ferrochrome smelter that is a
joint venture between Glencore and Merafe Resources. Assmang,
the joint venture between ARM Ferrous and the JSE-listed Assore,
operates a chrome mine (Dwarsrivier) and a ferrochrome plant
where chrome alloys are made.
Energy and transition plans
Another part of Pan African Resources’ plan to improve efficiencies
was to build a renewable energy plant at Elikhulu. A 10MW solar plant,
which produces 30% of the facility’s needs, started operating in 2021.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Council for Geoscience: www.geoscience.org.za
Minerals Council South Africa: www.mineralscouncil.org.za
National Department of Mineral Resources and Energy: www.dmre.gov.za
South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: www.saimm.co.za
By mid-2022, the company
reported a monthly saving of
$145 000 per month. Exxaro,
one of the biggest mining
companies in Mpumalanga, has
a subsidiary, Cennergi, that builds
and manages renewable energy
plants. Two wind farms have been
built in the Eastern Cape and the
plan is now to build plants near
Exxaro mining sites.
The ambitious renewable
energy plans of Seriti Green,
subsidiary of coal-miner Seriti
Resources, are outlined in a
Special Feature elsewhere in
this journal.
Impact Catalyst Mpumalanga
has been launched in
Mpumalanga, having previously
operated in two of South Africa’s
other big mining provinces,
Limpopo and the Northern Cape.
Impact Catalyst aims
to drive large-scale socioeconomic
development
initiatives through publicprivate
partnerships and a
big focus in Mpumalanga is
going to be the transition to
green energy. An initiative of
Anglo American and Exxaro,
the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) and
World Vision, Impact Catalyst
will assist with mine and power
station closures, ensuring that
they are done in a way that
protects the environment and,
where possible, setting up
manufacturing or agricultural
opportunities for local
communities. ■
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MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2023/24