| Location | |
|---|---|
  Impala mine | |
| North West | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Coordinates | 25°32′28″S27°11′5″E / 25.54111°S 27.18472°E [1] |
| Production | |
| Products | platinum |
The Impala mine is a large platinum mine located near Rustenburg in the North West Province of South Africa. Impala represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 68.9 million oz of platinum. [2] The mine produces around 800,000 oz of platinum/year. [2]
Rustenburg is a city at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West province, South Africa. In 2017, the city's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached ZAR 63.8 billion, accounting for 21.1% of the GDP of the North West Province, and 1.28% of the GDP of South Africa. Rustenburg was one of the official host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, being in close proximity to Phokeng, the capital of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, where the Royal Bafokeng Stadium is located. The England national football team also used this as their base camp for the tournament.
The Bushveld is a sub-tropical woodland ecoregion of Southern Africa. The ecoregion straddles the Tropic of Capricorn and constitutes the southern part of the Zambezian region. It encompasses most of Limpopo and a small part of North West in South Africa, the Central and North-East Districts of Botswana and the Matabeleland South and part of Matabeleland North provinces of Zimbabwe. The Kruger National Park has a number of 'Bushveld' camps, but these are strictly speaking in the lowveld, as these terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Although their limits are somewhat blurred, lowveld is generally restricted to the more easterly parts of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) is the largest layered igneous intrusion within the Earth's crust. It has been tilted and eroded forming the outcrops around what appears to be the edge of a great geological basin: the Transvaal Basin. It is approximately 2 billion years old and is divided into four different limbs: the northern, southern, eastern, and western limbs. The Bushveld Complex comprises the Rustenburg Layered suite, the Lebowa Granites and the Rooiberg Felsics, that are overlain by the Karoo sediments. The site was first publicised around 1897 by Gustaaf Molengraaff who found the native South African tribes residing in and around the area.
The Royal Bafokeng is the ethnic homeland of the Bafokeng people, a Setswana-speaking traditional community. The monarchy covers 1,000 square kilometers (390 sq mi) in the North West Province of South Africa. The capital is Phokeng, near Rustenburg. "Bafokeng" is used to refer to both the tribal grouping as well as the land it's members inhabit. The kingdom's current ruler is Kgosi (King) Leruo Molotlegi. Who has reigned since 2000. The Bafokeng first settled in the Rustenburg Valley in c.1450AD, the presence of the ceramics in the area suggests the arrival of the Bafokeng in the Rustenburg Phokeng valley at about this time. Kgosi Tshukudu became the first king of a unified Bafokeng in 1750.
Rustenburg Municipality is a local municipality within the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, in the North West province of South Africa. Rustenburg is situated at the foot of the Magalies mountain range. Rustenburg was proclaimed a township in 1851. The city of Rustenburg is situated some 112 km northwest from both Johannesburg and Pretoria. It is a malaria-free area. Rustenburg is the fastest growing municipality in South Africa, with the population rising from 387,096 in 2001 to 449,776 in 2007. It is the most populous municipality in the North West province.
Aquarius Platinum plc is a Bermuda-registered and headquartered mining business.
Freedom Park is an informal housing settlement situated near the town of Rustenburg in North West Province, South Africa. It was established in the 1980s when poor people from other parts of South Africa were attracted by the possibility of employment at the nearby Impala Platinum mine. Today the settlement has a population of approximately 25,000 people. There is little public infrastructure at Freedom Park and residents lack adequate access to sanitation, electricity, and portable water.
Impala Platinum Holdings Limited or Implats is a South African holding company that owns several companies which operate mines that produce platinum and platinum group metals, as well as nickel, copper and cobalt. Its most significant mine is the Impala mine in the North West province of South Africa. The company also owns or has interest in the Two Rivers mine and the Marula mine in the South Africa Bushveld Igneous Complex and the Mimosa mine and Zimplats in Zimbabwe, as well as the Impala Refining Services which smelts and refines metals for other companies. In December 2019, Impala Canada was formed, owned by the holding company, out of the acquisition of North American Palladium and its mine in Ontario, Canada.
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) was formed in Mpumalanga, South Africa, in 1998 as a breakaway faction of the COSATU-affiliated National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). It was formally registered as a union in 2001. According to Mining Weekly, the union sees itself as distinct from NUM in that it is "apolitical and noncommunist".
The Pandora mine is a large open pit mine located in the north-eastern part of South Africa in Rustenburg, North West. Pandora represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 28.4 million oz of platinum. The mine produces around 39,000 oz of platinum/year.
The Bathopele mine is a mechanised mine located in the north-western part of South Africa in Rustenburg, North West. Bathopele represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 5.3 million oz of platinum. The mine produces around 120,000 oz of platinum/year.
The Khomanani mine is a large open pit mine located in the north-western part of South Africa in Rustenburg, North West. Khomanani represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 5.3 million oz of platinum. The mine produces around 120,000 oz of platinum/year.
The Thembelani mine is a large open pit mine located in the north-western part of South Africa in Rustenburg, North West. Thembelani represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 15.6 million oz of platinum. The mine produces around 100,000 oz of platinum/year.
The Khuseleka mine is a large underground mine located in the north-western part of South Africa in Rustenburg, North West. Khuseleka represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 10.2 million oz of platinum. The mine produces around 130,000 oz of platinum/year.
The Siphumelele mine is one of the largest platinum mines located in the north-western part of South Africa in Rustenburg, North West. The mine is owned and operated by Anglo American Platinum. Siphumelele represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 12.4 million oz of platinum. The mine produces around 100,000 oz of platinum/year.
The Kroondal mine is a large open pit mine located in the north-western part of South Africa in Rustenburg, North West. Kroondal represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 6.2 million oz of platinum. The mine produces around 217,000 oz of platinum/year.
The Bafokeng mine is a large open pit mine located in the north-eastern part of South Africa in Rustenburg, North West. Bafokeng represents one of the largest platinum reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 47.9 million oz of platinum. The mine produces around 171,000 oz of platinum/year.
The Marula Mine is a platinum mine located in the Limpopo province of South Africa. It is in the eastern limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, approximately 35km north-west of Burgersfort. The operation comprises two decline shaft systems which are used to access the UG2 reef.
On 15 November 2014 workers at South Africa's major platinum producers – Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum, and Lonmin – went on strike demanding that wages be immediately doubled. However, after five months of striking they settled for a more modest pay increase spread over three years. It was the longest and most expensive strike in South African history.