Canadian platinum mining firm, Platinum Group Metals, has announced the latest update in its mineral resource estimate for the Western Bushveld Joint Venture. The company has reported 7.3 million ounces of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold in the measured and indicated category, representing an increase of 18 per cent compared to the firm’s previous estimate. Platinum Group Metals also reported a further 1.2 million ounces have been discovered in the inferred category.

The results mark the completion of Platinum Group Metals’ resource model, which has now been delivered to the engineering teams to be used in the ongoing feasibility study design, expected to be completed later this year.

“The engineering group is continuing with the mine design to best take advantage of this near surface platinum resource, with an initial focus on the Merensky Reef followed by the UG2 layer in the latter part of the mine’s life,” explained R Michael Jones, President and Chief Executive of Platinum Group Metals.

Jubilee Platinum has announced that it has completed a study to optimise its Tjate project. According to the mining firm, it could be able to develop a new mine capable of producing 200,000 tonnes per month of platinum group metals (pgms). The research undertaken by Jubilee Platinum revealed that the project could have a head grade of five grams per tonne of the four pgms, platinum, rhodium, palladium, and gold. Jubilee Platinum has said it will now move on to invite expressions of interest for firms to manage a bankable feasibility study in the near future. Confirming the company’s intentions, Jubilee Platinum Chief Executive, Colin Bird, said: “Tjate will now accelerate the drilling and other data capture programmes with a view to completing our bankable feasibility study as soon as possible.”

During September, Wesizwe Platinum announced that it had sold 40 million shares for R300 million in a move to bolster its exploration projects. The company revealed that, while much of the money will go into the development of its Rustenburg operations, some of the funding will also be put towards its development of the Western Bushveld Joint Venture.

Away from South Africa, North American Palladium announced the results of the second phase of an infill drill programme at the Arctic Platinum Project located south of Rovaniemi, Finland. The results have confirmed North American Palladium’s interpretation of the geologic continuity and metal distribution, the company has stated.

North American Palladium President and Chief Executive, Jim Excell, said: “These drilling results are encouraging as they continue to demonstrate the good continuity of metal contents and the widths of the mineralized zones at the Ahmavaara deposit. We are making good progress on this project and we have hired additional personnel to ensure that we satisfy all of our obligations over the next eleven months.”

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