Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
- Gold
- Platinum
- Palladium
- Rhodium
- Nickel
- Copper
|
Mining Method |
- Breast mining
- Scattered stoping
- Bord-and-pillar
- Hydraulic mining
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2051 |
Rustenburg consists of three intermediate depth operating vertical shafts that utilise a conventional mining method – Siphumelele 1, Khuseleka 1, and Thembelani 1 – and Bathopele Shaft.
During 2021, a feasibility study was initiated, to be finalised in 2022, on the Siphumelele UG2 project. The Merensky reef horizon at Siphumelele 1 shaft is nearing depletion and the study considers replacing Merensky production with UG2 which extends from 23 level down to 29 level. In addition, the Thembelani Deeps (MER) project will be under study during 2022, which could enhance the Merensky tonnage output production beyond the current LoM estimates and is planned to be taken to a “Stage 2” Feasibility study. |
Source:
p. 60
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Sibanye-Stillwater Ltd.
|
74 %
|
Indirect
|
Sibanye Rustenburg Platinum Mines Proprietary Ltd.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|

In terms of the Rustenburg operation transaction, a 26% stake in Sibanye Rustenburg Platinum Mines Proprietary Limited (SRPM) was acquired through Newshelf 1335 Proprietary Limited (BBBEE SPV). The shareholders of BBBEE SPV are Rustenburg Mine Employees Trust (30.4%), Rustenburg Mine Community Development Trust (24.8%), Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Investment Holdings (24.8%) and Siyanda Resources Proprietary Limited (20.0%). The Rustenburg Mine Employees Trust and the Rustenburg Mine Community Development Trust are controlled and consolidated by Sibanye-Stillwater.
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Magmatic
- Footwall hosted
- Pegmatite
Summary:
Two reef types are mined at the Rustenburg operations: UG2 Reef and Merensky Reef, both dipping at ~9° towards the northeast. The UG2 Reef consists of a main chromitite seam with an average thickness of 70cm. The mining cut includes the main seam and various components of hangingwall and footwall to a planned mining width varying from 105cm (conventional) to 120cm (mechanised).
The Merensky Reef lies 140m above the UG2 Reef and consists of pegmatoidal feldsphatic pyroxenite, with thin top and bottom contact chrome stringers, and has an average width of 20cm.The mining cut includes the Merensky Reef and various components of hangingwall and footwall to a planned minimum width varying between 105cm and 120cm.
Within the Rustenburg operation, the UG2 Reef occurs vertically between 90m and 150m below the Merensky Reef and dips in a north-easterly direction at about 9º to 12º. The UG2 Reef is more prone to undulations when compared to the Merensky Reef, resulting in rolling reef. [2020 Mr, p.63]
Both the UG2 and Merensky mineralisation occurs as tabular orebodies, and are laterally continuous with relatively long-range grade consistency and predictability.
Reef disruptions in the form of potholing, faulting, IRUP and dykes occur throughout the orebody resulting in an average geological loss of 15%.
Mining Methods
- Breast mining
- Scattered stoping
- Bord-and-pillar
- Hydraulic mining
Summary:
Rustenburg consists of three intermediate depth operating vertical shafts, which utilise a conventional mining method (Siphumelele 1, Khuseleka 1 and Thembelani 1) and Bathopele, which is a shallow mechanised operation.
The Mineral Resource is accessed from surface using conventional underground mining methods to 34 Level (the lowest working level) at Siphumelele 1 Shaft, approximately 1,350m below surface, to 28 Level (the lowest working level) at Khuseleka 1 Shaft, approximately 950m below surface, and 29 Level (the lowest working level) at Thembelani 1 Shaft. The Mineral Resource at Bathopele Shaft is accessed from surface via two decline clusters using mechanised mining methods to a depth of approximately 500m below surface. 66% or 54.55Moz of the total Mineral Resources are above infrastructure and 34% or 27.78Moz are below infrastructure.
The vertical shafts target both the Merensky Reef and UG2 Reef horizons, whilst the shallow, mechanised Bathopele targets only the UG2 Reef.
Mining method:
• Vertical shafts: conventional scattered breast mining;
• Mechanised declines: bord-and-pillar;
• TSF: Hydraulic (Hydrojet).
Apart from the underground operations, there are also two tailings retreatment operations:
• WLTRP treats tailings from the old Waterval and Klipfontein TSFs, via hydro mining;
• Tails from the Waterval TSFs and Waterval UG2 and Retrofit concentrators are retreated at the Platinum Mile plant.
Source:
Summary:

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Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
Total
|
112.7 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
3.5 g/t
|
12.9 M oz
|
Probable
|
Total
|
56.4 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
1.5 g/t
|
2.6 M oz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Total
|
169 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
2.9 g/t
|
15.5 M oz
|
Measured
|
Total
|
416.6 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
4.4 g/t
|
58.4 M oz
|
Indicated
|
Total
|
119.7 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
5.3 g/t
|
20.5 M oz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
Total
|
536.4 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
4.6 g/t
|
78.9 M oz
|
Inferred
|
Total
|
14.9 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
5.6 g/t
|
2.7 M oz
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Cash costs
|
PGM
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,135 / oz
|
Cash costs
|
Platinum
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,888 / oz
|
All-in sustaining costs (AISC)
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
...... †
|
...... †
|
...... †
|
804 / oz† USD
|
793 / oz† USD
|
|
All-in costs
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
...... †
|
...... †
|
...... †
|
804 / oz† USD
|
793 / oz† USD
|
|
† Net of By-Product.
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Operating Costs:
| Units | 2016 | 2015 |
UG mining costs ($/t milled)
|
ZAR
| 637 | 693 |
Financials:
| Units | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Sustaining costs
|
M ZAR
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
314
|
366
|
|
Capital expenditures
|
M ZAR
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
792
|
831
|
662
|
Growth Capital
|
M ZAR
| | | ......  |
0.6
|
|
|
Revenue
|
M ZAR
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
11,373
|
10,221
|
9,307
|
Pre-tax Income
|
M ZAR
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
|
|
|
After-tax Income
|
M ZAR
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
3,348
|
-643
|
2,050
|
EBITDA
|
M ZAR
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
|
|
|
Operating Cash Flow
|
M ZAR
| | | |
|
|
72
|
Book Value
|
M ZAR
| ......  | | |
|
|
|
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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