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Dr Patrice Motsepe, the executive chairperson of the diversified mining company African Rainbow Minerals, on Friday expressed confidence that platinum group metal (PGM) prices will increase in the medium to long term.

"We're confident that, in the medium to long term, the pricing of our PGM metals will increase and it's a business that we have confidence in.PGMs are part of our of our portfolio of assets that we run and operate that we think will do well.

"I often get asked questions by our share with us about Bokoni and what we've said over the years is that Bokoni is a world-class orebody and we're confident that once some of the plans that we have and some of the strategies that we have in the medium to long term, it will create value for shareholders," Motsepe outlined.

To preserve cash in the current PGM price environment, major expansion plans at the Bokoni PGMs mine have been deferred and a Section 189 process to right-size the mine has commenced.

In the six months to the end of December, ARM Platinum's headline earnings fell 144% to record a R680-million loss compared with the corresponding period of financial year (FY) 2024.

Overall headline earnings for the six months decreased by 49% to R1 520-million and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company, which has net cash of R6 073-million, declared an interim dividend of R4 50 a share amounting to R1 011-million for the first half of its FY 2025.

"The declaration of dividends goes hand-in-hand with an important investment in the future.

"We invest in the minerals that we have, including others that we are pursuing, and you have to take a long-term perspective, particularly the context of PGMS, but also in all minerals," Motsepe said during the presentation of half-year results covered by Mining Weekly.

ARM mines and beneficiates iron-ore, manganese ore, chrome ore, PGMs, nickel and coal and also has a strategic investment in gold through Harmony Gold Mining, which Motsepe also chairs.

"The pricing can be very cyclical. We've been in this business for more than 30 years, and we understand it.

"During the good times, we invest in the future, and during the difficult times, that's when there are opportunities, but also that's the time when companies with a strong balance sheet and world-class management will always perform well."

The lower average realised export iron-ore prices and stronger rand-dollar exchange rate were partially offset by higher manganese ore and alloy prices.

Construction of ARM Platinum's 100MW solar photovoltaic facility is progressing on schedule, with the first power delivery expected in August.

With the definitive feasibility study for renewable energy at ARM Ferrous was completed in December, various funding models and energy mix options are being reviewed.