Ongoing improvements in the platinum group metals (PGMs) market have prompted miner Impala Platinum (Implats) to re-evaluate the strategic direction with regard to its Impala Rustenburg operations. Following a review of the Impala Rustenburg operations, Implats in August 2018 said it would reduce the number of operating shafts from ten to six by the end of the 2021 financial year. It advised at the time that that would result in output from Impala Rustenburg decreasing from about 750 000 oz/y to about 520 000 oz/y, while employee numbers would decrease by about 13 000 to 27 000.
