Implats produces around 25% of the world’s supply of platinum with a workforce of 54 000 (including 16 000 contractors). In the review period, the Group produced 3.689 million ounces of PGMs, including 1.741 million ounces of platinum.
The most significant PGM deposits in the world are the Bushveld Complex in South Africa and the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe, which contribute around three quarters of global platinum output. PGMs are a relatively rare commodity – only around 500 tonnes are produced annually (one-fifth of gold production), of which less than 200 tonnes are platinum – yet they play a progressively more important role in everyday life, either in goods used daily or in producing these goods.
PGMs – primarily platinum, and the associated by-products, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium usually occur in association with nickel and copper.
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PGMs – the green metals
As a vital component in autocatalytic convertors, PGMs play a significant role in reducing air pollution by substantially limiting the discharge of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides as well as particulates in diesel engines.
PGMs are recyclable, thus reducing waste while ensuring the sustainability of their supply. The most efficient recycling of PGMs occurs in the automotive sector, where a whole industry has been developed to recycle autocatalytic convertors from scrapped vehicles. Some 25% of the platinum used in new autocatalytic convertors stems from this source.
PGMs are also used in fuel cells to develop both portable and auxiliary energy units and as a source of power for vehicles. As a carbon-free process, fuel cells are able to reduce air pollution considerably whilst curtailing demand for fossil fuels.
The platinum group metals possess excellent catalytic and a range of other properties including resistance to corrosion and high melting points, making them ideal metals for a wide variety of industrial uses, particularly the automotive section. Other important uses can be found in table on page 66.
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