PGMs: A cornucopia of possible applications

Abstract

South Attica has been mining PGMs for many yeats and has a vested interest in the usefulness of these metals, although originally, there was little thought about downstream beneficiation and some of the products were later purchased, in effect repurchasing the raw materials. However, for about 20 yeats, it has been realised that in order to build wealth sustainably, at least some of the beneficiation and development has to be done in South Africa. This is because for each stage of beneficiation, the value of the commodity increases and so to buy the PGMs back in a Later state is uneconomical. Also, the industries need to be established here in South Africa, so that South Africans can work in them and become part of the workforce and generate their own wealth and sustainability for their families. This is part of the rationale of the AMI.In order to drive this, as well as a viable commercial strategy, with viable and wanted products, there has to be something different in the production mixture, for examp;le, the product has to be better, new or cheaper. This is where research is used to try and develop new capabilities, or to improve them.