IV. Platinum

Mogalakwena open pit

Discovered in the Bushveld Complex north of Gauteng, platinum has filled the void left by decreasing gold outputs as the exceptional “cash-mining” operation in South Africa. This region alone accounts for 70% of the global supply of platinum. The ores are extracted deep below ground by small explosive charges, crushed and conveyed to the surface. Platinum is typically found bonded to other ores, so filtration - through a process called flotation separation - and superheating in a smelter are required to remove other metallic impurities from platinum samples. Similar to gold, platinum is exported by plane for sale on the global market for jewelry and industrial applications, of which its use in technological components makes it one of the most sought-after ores in the contemporary economy.