An outline of the short-term and medium-term renewable energy plans of South Africa’s large platinum mining companies is outlined in the latest Auctus Metal Portfolios report, a 16-page document compiled by independent precious metals consultant Dr David Davis.

Auctus Metal Portfolios of Singapore offers a physical precious metal investment management system that includes platinum, palladium and rhodium.

The report puts the planned short- and medium-term generation of the four main platinum group metal (PGM) producers at a collective 295 MW, and the collective short- and medium-term generation of South Africa’s private sector at 3 000 MW, with 9 000 MW in the longer-term planned pipeline of projects. (At the time of going to press, Mining Weekly is informed that renewable energy projects in the pipeline now total 13 000 MW.)

By the end of this year, the report states that a 100 MW PGMs project is scheduled to be operational, and by the end of next year, the 3 000 private sector megawattage is expected to materialise.

The report highlights Sibanye-Stillwater’s proposed three-project plan as introducing 175 MW of renewable energy across the company’s PGM mines in South Africa, made up of an 80 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project at Rustenburg Platinum Mines, a 65 MW solar PV project at Karee, and a 30 MW solar PV project at its Bushveld Complex. (Relaxation of regulatory requirements and the anticipated ability to trade electricity in South Africa have, as reported by Mining Weekly, allowed Sibanye to grow its portfolio of renewables projects to 557 MW, including solar and wind projects.)

The Auctus report states that it will be Anglo American Platinum’s 100 MW solar PV plant at the Mogalakwena mine in Limpopo that will be operational by the end of 2023. (Mining Weekly has reported that the Anglo American group as a whole will this year commence the contract for the first two projects in a 600 MW bucket. That initial 600 MW of renewable energy will then progress to a possible 5 000 MW as part of the company’s Envusa energy programme, which has been given the status in South Africa of a strategic integrated project.)

Scheduled for commercial operation in 2024, the report adds, is a 10 MW solar PV project at Impala Platinum’s Marula platinum mine in Limpopo, with Northam Platinum targeting modules of 10 MW. (As reported earlier by Mining Weekly, the largest of three planned solar installations at the moment is the 11 MW solar installation, which is under construction at Northam’s Zondereinde PGMs mine, which will be followed by commissioning of installations at Northam’s Eland and Booysendal PGM mines. Northam is also looking to wind power.)

The Auctus report emphasises the decline of Eskom’s ageing fleet of coal-fired power stations and the impact on PGMs platinum mine supply from South Africa and globally. Under the circumstances, it expects an increase in PGM inventories, along with a decline in supply from 2023 to 2027.

OPERATIONAL GOLD MINE RENEWABLES

Gold mining companies have got off the mark with embedded generation of renewables, Pan African Resources with 10 MW on the Far East Rand and Gold Fields with 50 MW on the Far West Rand. Moreover, Gold Fields has more recently discovered unexpected on-site wind strength at its South Deep gold mine, near Westonaria.

Those very close to situation report to Mining Weekly that they are beginning to see a small flicker of light at the end of South Africa's terribly disruptive loadshedding tunnel.