Living the Implats Way
Our purpose is to create a better future to improve the lives of future generations. We accomplish this through the metals we produce, the way we do business and through our superior performance.
Read more
Our purpose is to create a better future to improve the lives of future generations. We accomplish this through the metals we produce, the way we do business and through our superior performance.
Read more
Implats has the advantage of geographical diversification and exploits platiniferous horizons within the Bushveld Complex in South Africa, the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe and the palladium-dominant orebody located in the Lac des Iles Intrusive Complex in Canada. The Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke layered intrusions are unique in terms of size and geological continuity.
Read more
Decarbonisation is an urgent global challenge. There are increasing opportunities to use platinum-catalysed fuel cells to provide zero-emitting, carbon-free energy, in electricity and mobile applications.
Read more
Employee accommodation and living conditions remain key strategic issues for improving the wellbeing of our employees and host communities in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Our focus remains on facilitating the creation of sustainable human settlements and access to decent accommodation for employees who are residing in informal structures.
Read more
The increasing evidence globally of physical climate impacts – wildfires, floods, rising temperatures – is driving a greater sense of urgency in building adaptive capacity and resilience to climate.
Read more
Decarbonisation is an urgent global challenge. There are increasing opportunities to use platinum-catalysed fuel cells to provide zero-emitting, carbon-free energy, in electricity and mobile applications.
Fuel cells use a source of fuel, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant to create electricity from an electrochemical process. In supporting the development of a fuel cell economy, we aspire to make hydrogen a key part of decarbonising and powering our own operations.
Implats has invested around R25 million in targeted fuel cell development in South Africa, in collaboration with the South African government and academic institutions, to help promote local technology development as well as develop local skills and fuel cell manufacturing and deployment.
In 2016, we developed and successfully implemented the first hydrogen fuel-cell powered forklift and hydrogen refuelling station in Africa, at the base metals refinery at Impala Springs. The project showcased novel metal hydride technology for on-board hydrogen storage and compression. The successful prototype fuel cell forklift reduces noise levels and emissions and continues to perform well.
The project motivated investigations into the use of fuel cell technologies within other material movement equipment. Together with our project partners, we continue to review the viability of commercialising this technology.
We believe these efforts should be aligned with the special economic zone (SEZ) for fuel cell development that is under development in the Springs region, aimed at driving local mineral beneficiation. The SEZ comprises 16 hectares of land donated by Implats, adjacent to Impala Springs. The project in partnership with various government departments is a longer-term strategic investment to facilitate platinum beneficiation. The infrastructure includes the availability of pure hydrogen gas and natural gas on site.