ANGLO AMERICAN PLATINUM LIMITED For the first time ever, managed operations were fatal free for the year. The Total Recordable Case Frequency Rate ('TRCFR') per million hours at managed operations for the quarter improved 41% to 1.75 compared to 2.99 in the prior period.
PGM PRODUCTION
Production has been adjusted in the comparative periods to enable fair comparison between each period as follows: Excludes Sibanye-Stillwater 4E ounces from purchase of concentrate (POC) from third parties as this production moved from POC to tolled production at the end of Q1 2019; Include Mototolo production as own mined production on a 100% basis;
Total PGM production of 1,152,700 ounces increased 9%, with platinum production up 10% to 531,700 ounces and palladium production up 10% to 360,400 ounces. Eskom power outages led to a loss of production in the quarter of c.20,000 ounces across all operations in Q4 2019.
PGM production from own managed mines
Total PGM production from own managed mines increased 21% to 675,200 ounces (platinum production increased by 22% to 310,000 ounces and palladium production increased 20% to 241,000 ounces), due to higher production from all operations, despite the impact of Eskom power outages leading to a loss of 16,800 PGM ounces of production.
Mogalakwena PGM production increased 24% to 317,500 ounces (platinum increased by 25% to 135,800 ounces and palladium production increased by 23% to 146,000 ounces), due to an increase in built-up head grade. High grade ore stockpiles were drawn down to supplement mined production as low equipment availability, due to maintenance on the rope shovel, impacted production.
Amandelbult PGM production increased 25% to 238,700 ounces (platinum production increased by 24% to 120,100 ounces and palladium increased by 25% to 56,000 ounces), as the benefit from increased development at Dishaba lower mine has allowed increased productivity and production.
Unki PGM production increased 5% to 52,000 ounces (platinum production increased by 6% to 23,300 ounces and palladium production increased by 2% to 20,000 ounces), due to improved concentrator throughput and mill run-time, partially offset by lower grade.
On a 100% basis, Mototolo PGM production increased by 9% to 66,900 ounces (platinum production increased by 10% to 30,900 ounces and palladium by 8% to 19,000 ounces), due to higher mining rates and throughput efficiency improvement at the concentrator.
PGM production from joint ventures (50% own mined production and 50% purchase of concentrate)
Joint venture PGM production, excluding Mototolo, decreased by 11% to 231,200 ounces (platinum production decreased by 10% to 103,600 ounces and palladium production decreased by 11% to 68,000 ounces), including losses from Eskom power outages of 3,200 PGM ounces. PGM production at Kroondal was down 8% due to the power outages and PGM production at Modikwa decreased by 16% due to low equipment availability and section 54 safety stoppages.
Purchases of PGM concentrate from third parties
Purchase of PGM concentrate from third parties, excluding 4E tolled material, increased by 1% to 246,300 ounces due to higher volume from
Refined production and sales volumes
Refined PGM production, excluding tolling and 4E production now tolled, increased by 2% to 1,308,800 ounces (refined platinum production was flat at 624,900 ounces and refined palladium production decreased by 6% to 394,400 ounces), despite the impact of Eskom power outages, as well as the associated Rustenburg Processing facilities power outage event in
PGM sales volumes, excluding the impact of 4E toll treated material and trading, were up 11% to 1,414,100 ounces, with platinum sales volumes up 5% to 662,000 ounces and palladium sales volumes up 11% to 432,700 ounces due to an increase in refined production, supplemented by a drawdown in refined inventory.
Eskom power outages impact on 2019 production
In the first half of the year, own-managed mines lost production due to power outages that required the mines to shut down, resulting in a loss of 18,000 PGM ounces. In the second half of the year (Q4 2019), own-managed mines lost 16,800 PGM ounces, and joint ventures lost 3,200 PGM ounces. This resulted in a loss of production (which cannot be recovered) of 38,000 PGM ounces for 2019.
Power outages resulted in an impact to refined production of 74,700 PGM ounces in Q1 2019, and a further 70,200 PGM ounces in Q4 2019. A load-shedding related event, resulting in a total power outage at the Rustenburg Processing facilities in
Contact:
Tel: +27 (0) 11 373 6239
Email: emma.chapman@angloamerican.com
Notes to editors
Anglo American is a leading global mining company and our products are the essential ingredients in almost every aspect of modern life. Our portfolio of world-class competitive mining operations and undeveloped resources provides the metals and minerals that enable a cleaner, more electrified world and that meet the fast growing consumer-driven demands of the world's developed and maturing economies. With our people at the heart of our business, we use innovative practices and the latest technologies to discover new resources and mine, process, move and market our products to our customers around the world - safely, responsibly and sustainably.
As a responsible miner of diamonds (through De Beers), copper, platinum group metals, iron ore, coal, nickel and manganese we are the custodians of what are precious natural resources. We work together with our business partners and diverse stakeholders to unlock the sustainable value that those resources represent for our shareholders, the communities and countries in which we operate, and for society as a whole. Anglo American is re-imagining mining to improve people's lives.
(C) 2020 Electronic News Publishing, source
