Mining Intelligence and News
South Africa

Impala Mine

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Summary

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • PGM
  • Platinum
  • Palladium
  • Rhodium
  • Nickel
  • Copper
Mining Method
  • Hydraulic mining
  • Breast mining
  • Bord-and-pillar
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Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotImpala (Impala Rustenburg) operation comprises a multi-shaft mining complex, along with concentrating and smelting facilities near Rustenburg.

On 1 July 2025, the legal and commercial consolidation of Impala Bafokeng and Impala was successfully concluded, resulting in the formation of a single legal entity. As a result, Impala and Impala Bafokeng are reported separately in FY2025 integrated report, with consolidated reporting commencing from FY2026.

Following the consolidation of Impala Bafokeng, the newly integrated Impala Rustenburg operations have been reorganised into three shaft groupings: North shafts (BRPM North and South, Styldrift and Maseve), Central shafts (6, 12, 14 and 20 shafts) and South shafts (E&F, 1, 10, 11 and 16 shafts).

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Black Economic Empowerment(B-BBEE Commission) 13 % Indirect
Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. 87 % Indirect
Impala Platinum Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
Impala (Impala Rustenburg) is owned 87% by Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) and 13% by Black Economic Empowerment(B-BBEE Commission) (the IBR Employee Share Ownership Trust, the Community Share Ownership Trust, and the Bokamoso Consortium (led by Siyanda Resources)).

On 1 July 2025, the legal and commercial consolidation of Impala Bafokeng and Impala was successfully concluded, resulting in the formation of a single legal entity. This included the Section 197 transfer of Impala Bafokeng employees and the transfer of its entire business – encompassing exploration, development, mining of PGMs and related activities – to Impala Platinum Ltd. as a going concern, in accordance with the tax rollover provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1962.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Magmatic

Summary:

Impala Rustenburg explores and mines the Merensky and UG2 Reefs, which are separated by a sequence of primarily anorthositic and noritic layered units, ranging from 45m in the northern part of the mining right area and thickening to 125m in the south.

The Merensky Reef is generally composed of an upper feldspathic pyroxenite, overlying a thin basal chromitite stringer, followed by an anorthosite to norite footwall. Locally, this is termed a ‘pyroxenite reef’. In some areas a pegmatoidal pyroxenite and a second chromitite stringer may be developed between the feldspathic pyroxenite and the footwall units. Locally this pegmatoidal pyroxenite can exceed 2m in thickness. This is termed a ‘pegmatoid reef’.

The UG2 Reef is defined as the main chromitite layer, with most PGM and base metal mineralisation confined to this unit, with a poorly mineralised pegmatoidal pyroxenite footwall. The main chromitite layer’s hangingwall is a feldspathic pyroxenite containing up to four thin and poorly mineralised chromitite layers. The vertical grade distribution is depicted in the accompanying graphs, showing peak values at reef contacts associated with chromitite. The average 6E ratios show the differences between the Merensky and UG2 Reefs, particularly the higher platinum to palladium ratio in the Merensky Reef and the relatively high proportion of rhodium in the UG2 Reef.

Both mineralised horizons dip gently away from the sub-outcrop in a north-easterly direction at 10° to 12°. The reefs may be disrupted by minor and major faults, lamprophyre, syenite and dolerite dykes, late- stage ultramafic replacement pegmatoid bodies and potholes. The potholes are generally circular and represent ‘erosion’ of, or slumping into the footwall units. They vary from a few metres to tens of metres across and up to tens of metres in depth. These features are accounted for in the Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates as geological losses, contributing to dilution or absence of the mineralised horizons.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Commodity Production

CommodityProductUnits20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
6E (Pt,Pd,Rh,Au,Ir,Ru) Metal koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe1,298 
Platinum Refined metal koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe754581655627575
Palladium Refined metal koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe332300308300281
Rhodium Refined metal koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe8788898177
Nickel Refined metal t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3,4393,8953,6093,3313,598
6E (Pt,Pd,Rh,Au,Ir,Ru) Refined metal koz 1,1271,2471,2201,137
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe11,211 kt10,947 kt10,121 kt10,316 kt9,199 kt

Production Costs

CommodityUnits202520242023202220212020201920182017
Cash costs 6E (Pt,Pd,Rh,Au,Ir,Ru) USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 864 / oz   1,090 / oz   906 / oz  
Cash costs Platinum USD  ....  Subscribe 1,593 / oz   2,116 / oz   1,726 / oz  
Cash costs Platinum USD 398 / oz **   1,241 / oz **   1,060 / oz **  
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Platinum USD 619 / oz **   1,238 / oz **  
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency202420232022202120202019201820172016
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Mine Financials

Units202520242023202220212020201920182017
Sustaining costs M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Capital expenditures M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 141  USD 215  USD 181  USD
Revenue M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 21,522  ZAR 13,255  ZAR 14,604  ZAR
Gross profit M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1,477  ZAR -2,791  ZAR -2,906  ZAR
Pre-tax Income M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1,520  ZAR -17,107  ZAR
After-tax Income M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1,185  ZAR -12,332  ZAR -9,860  ZAR
EBITDA M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 4,507  ZAR -529  ZAR
Operating Cash Flow M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
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Workforce

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2025
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Aerial view:

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