5 Largest Platinum Producing Countries in the World

1. South Africa

Average Annual Platinum Production: 130,000 kilograms

South Africa’s role in platinum production is characterized by several big mining projects. For example, the Two Rivers Platinum Mine Merensky project, located in Mpumalanga near Burgersfort, is a collaborative effort between African Rainbow Minerals and Impala Platinum, focusing on the extraction of platinum and other metals from the Merensky reef. This project is on track to commence platinum concentrate production around mid-2024 and is expected to reach full production by 2025, making a noteworthy contribution to the country’s platinum output.

Another major project is the Platreef project near Mokopane in Limpopo, primarily managed by Ivanhoe Mines. This project is anticipated to be a major producer of various metals, including platinum, with plans to initiate a smaller operation by 2024 and expand to a larger scale by 2027. Additionally, the Impala mine, one of the world’s largest platinum mines by production, is situated in Rustenburg. This mine has showcased the scale and importance of South Africa’s platinum mining operations but has also encountered challenges, such as a tragic accident in 2023, highlighting the risks associated with mining activities.

Besides having the largest platinum production in the world, South Africa also possesses the largest PGM reserves. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), as of 2023, the country’s PGM reserves stand at 69,445 tons, ensuring the sustainability of its platinum and palladium mining efforts for an extended period.

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