Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In
Built byBoxcut Studio

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    Projects

    Sibanye US PGM forecast cut: production, staffing and project notes for engineers

    November 6, 2026|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    Sibanye US PGM forecast cut: production, staffing and project notes for engineers

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    Sibanye-Stillwater has cut its 2026 US PGM guidance by up to 15%, with Stillwater and Columbus now expected to deliver 245,000–255,000 oz of platinum and palladium after a five-week strike slashed September-quarter output to 59,417 oz and left US staffing about 25% below planned levels for 2027 mechanised operations. Southern African PGM production fell 10% year-on-year to 458,202 oz and gold 12% to 155,449 oz, yet group adjusted EBITDA rose 9% to 10.8 billion rand on stronger prices. At Finland’s Keliber project, Sibanye is prioritising mine and concentrator ramp-up while deferring refinery commissioning, keeping timing of 15,000 t/y lithium hydroxide output beyond 2026 dependent on market conditions.

    Technical Brief

    • September-quarter US PGM production dropped 19% year-on-year to 59,417 oz due to the stoppage.
    • Labour attrition during wage negotiations left US operations staffed about 25% below 2027 mechanised mining plans.
    • Southern African PGM output reduction was driven by planned surface cutbacks and reserve depletion at Kroondal.
    • Underground gold production from mature, deep-level South African mines fell 22%, dragging total gold to 155,449 oz.
    • Group adjusted EBITDA nevertheless increased 9% year-on-year to 10.8 billion rand on stronger metal prices.
    • At Finland’s Keliber project, hot commissioning of the concentrator continued in Q3, with design-capacity testing slated for Q4.
    • Keliber is engineered for ~15,000 t/y battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate over a +18-year mine life.
    • Staged Keliber commissioning decouples mine/concentrator ramp-up from refinery start, deferring battery-grade output timing to market conditions.

    Our Take

    The five-week stoppage at the Stillwater and East Boulder mines comes on top of a softening PGM price outlook flagged in our coverage of BMI’s platinum and palladium forecast cuts, which likely tightens Sibanye-Stillwater’s headroom for further US wage concessions or high-cost production in Montana.

    Recent approval of the Mt Lyell copper–gold restart and investment in low-profile equipment at Rustenburg suggest that, despite lower southern African PGM and South African gold output, Sibanye-Stillwater is reallocating capital towards mechanised and base-metal-linked assets that can better withstand labour and depth-related constraints at mature mines.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Copper faces further slide after US vote: pricing outlook for mine planners
    Mining
    34 minutes ago

    Copper faces further slide after US vote: pricing outlook for mine planners

    Copper prices on the LME have fallen to about $13,779 per tonne ($6.25/lb), their lowest since July, with TD Securities’ Bart Melek warning of a further ~$500/t downside as Democratic gains in the US midterms weaken expectations for aggressive copper tariffs and large AI data centre build‑out. TD estimates US copper inventories at roughly 1.6 million tonnes, with Comex stocks up about 62% this year and now holding ~70% of global exchange copper, reducing incentives for further US stockpiling. BMI expects mine constraints at Grasberg and Kamoa‑Kakula and strong Chinese demand—evidenced by a record Yangshan premium above $200/t—to partially cushion any correction, guiding average prices of $13,500/t in 2026 and $12,900/t in 2027.

    Canadian Uranium’s Rook II plans: exploration and M&A lens for mine planners
    Mining
    34 minutes ago

    Canadian Uranium’s Rook II plans: exploration and M&A lens for mine planners

    Canadian Uranium (CSE: CANU) is advancing its 18,941-hectare Rook II property in northern Saskatchewan, where an NI 43-101 technical report documents 28 uranium occurrences and historical estimates of up to 45 million lb U₃O₈ that it plans to test with modern exploration. The company is compiling legacy data into an ArcGIS model, planning ground geophysics and a recommended 6,000-metre drill programme including twinned holes and deeper tests to 300–400 metres, compared with historical drilling to ~100 metres. Adviser Arni Johannson says the “cap table is built for M&A”, with negotiations underway involving a public company, additional properties and JV options to expand its Athabasca portfolio.

    MP Materials’ surprise profit: production, offtake and capex notes for mine planners
    Mining
    33 minutes ago

    MP Materials’ surprise profit: production, offtake and capex notes for mine planners

    MP Materials posted an adjusted profit of US$8.8 million (US$0.04 per share) for Q3, beating expectations of a loss as neodymium-praseodymium sales volumes rose 94% to 1,020 tonnes and production hit a record 1,018 tonnes at the Mountain Pass operation in California. Revenue nearly tripled to US$147.7 million, including a one-off US$31.6 million mixed rare earth sale to a US aerospace and defence customer and US$8.1 million from a Pentagon price-protection deal that floors NdPr at US$110/kg. Magnet qualification with General Motors enables initial Fort Worth Independence plant magnet shipments this quarter, while the larger 10X plant at Northlake, Texas, is slated to start commissioning in late 2028.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    Tunnelling

    Specialised solutions for tunnelling projects including grout mix design, hydrogeological analysis, and quality control.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.

    AllGeotechnicalInfrastructureHazardsEnvironmental