Platinum Group Metals
Enabling Innovation
and Sustainability
Enabling Innovation and Sustainability
The unique characteristics of PGMs make them indispensable across industries. From reducing vehicle emissions and advancing clean energy technologies to powering electronics and fine jewellery, these metals play a critical role in building a more efficient and sustainable global economy.
Critical for Modern Life
Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) are essential industrial metals valued for their durability, corrosion resistance, and catalytic properties. They consist of six elements: platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium. Each with unique properties and a wide range of applications.
RUTHENIUM
44
Ru
RHODIUM
45
Rh
PALLADIUM
46
Pd
OSMIUM
76
Os
IRIDIUM
77
Ir
PLATINUM
78
Pt
Global Uses and Demand Drivers
The automotive industry is the largest consumer of PGMs, primarily for catalytic converters that reduce harmful vehicle emissions. Other major demand drivers include:
- Jewellery: valued for beauty, rarity, and durability.
- Industrial Applications: including electronics, chemical processing, and glass manufacturing.
- Investment: as a store of value and hedge against inflation.
Hydrogen Economy: PGMs are critical for fuel cell technologies used in clean mobility and renewable electricity generation, a sector gaining significant momentum.
Zimbabwe’s Strategic Role in the PGM Market
South Africa accounts for 70–80% of global PGM production, sourced from the Bushveld Complex. Zimbabwe is the world’s 3rd largest PGM producer, with output of approximately 500,000 ounces from the Great Dyke in 2022. National plans target a three-fold increase in production by 2030, further strengthening Zimbabwe’s global position in the sector.
The Karo Platinum Project’s Place in the Industry
Located within the Great Dyke, the Karo Platinum Project contributes to Zimbabwe’s growing PGM output while supporting global demand for sustainable, ethically sourced PGMs. With a combination of open-pit and long-life underground operations, the project is well-positioned to play a vital role in meeting future demand, particularly as PGMs enable the transition to cleaner technologies and a lower-carbon global economy.
