Platinum in Africa
Encyclopedia
Platinum
, and platinum group metals, in Africa
, are produced in Zimbabwe
and the Republic of South Africa. Of the multitudes of companies involved in producing platinum group metals in these two countries, these are the principal operators:
World's leading platinum producer.
:
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
, and platinum group metals, in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, are produced in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and the Republic of South Africa. Of the multitudes of companies involved in producing platinum group metals in these two countries, these are the principal operators:
South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
World's leading platinum producer.
- Anglo PlatinumAnglo PlatinumAnglo Platinum Limited is the world's largest primary producer of platinum, accounting for about 38% of the world's annual. The company, based in South Africa, was previously called "Anglo American Platinum Corporation Limited". Anglo Platinum expects to produce approximately 2.9 million...
- Anglo American plc - Impala PlatinumImpala PlatinumImpala Platinum Holdings Limited is in the business of mining, refining and marketing of platinum group metals , as well as nickel, copper and cobalt. In the 2009 financial year, Implats produced 1.7Moz of platinum and 3.4Moz of PGMs...
- Implats - Lonplats
- Aquarius PlatinumAquarius PlatinumAquarius Platinum plc , , is a Bermuda-registered and headquartered mining business.Aquarius is quoted on the London Stock Exchange, the Australian Stock Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250...
- African Rainbow MineralsAfrican Rainbow MineralsAfrican Rainbow Minerals is a mining company based in South Africa. Patrice Motsepe is chairman; André Wilkens is CEO.ARM has interests in a wide range of mines, including platinum and PGMs, iron, coal, copper, and gold. ARM's Goedgevonden coalmine near Witbank is a flagship of their joint venture...
ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
- Zimbabwe Platinum - Zimplats
- Impala Platinum
- Anglo American Platinum Company - in development
Platinum group elements
There are 6 platinum group elementsPlatinum group
The platinum group metals is a term used sometimes to collectively refer to six metallic elements clustered together in the periodic table.These elements are all transition metals, lying in the d-block .The six...
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- IridiumIridiumIridium is the chemical element with atomic number 77, and is represented by the symbol Ir. A very hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal of the platinum family, iridium is the second-densest element and is the most corrosion-resistant metal, even at temperatures as high as 2000 °C...
- OsmiumOsmiumOsmium is a chemical element with the symbol Os and atomic number 76. Osmium is a hard, brittle, blue-gray or blue-blacktransition metal in the platinum family, and is the densest natural element. Osmium is twice as dense as lead. The density of osmium is , slightly greater than that of iridium,...
- PalladiumPalladiumPalladium is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pd and an atomic number of 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired...
- PlatinumPlatinumPlatinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
- RhodiumRhodiumRhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, silvery-white, hard and chemically inert transition metal and a member of the platinum group. It has the chemical symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is composed of only one isotope, 103Rh. Naturally occurring rhodium is found as the free metal, alloyed...
- RutheniumRutheniumRuthenium is a chemical element with symbol Ru and atomic number 44. It is a rare transition metal belonging to the platinum group of the periodic table. Like the other metals of the platinum group, ruthenium is inert to most chemicals. The Russian scientist Karl Ernst Claus discovered the element...
See also
- Aluminium in AfricaAluminium in AfricaAluminium in Africa originates primarily in Guinea, Mozambique and Ghana. Guinea is by far the biggest producer in Africa, and is a world leader in aluminium and bauxite production; see "World bauxite mine production, reserves, and reserve base" at the bauxite article.There are many companies...
- Copper in AfricaCopper in AfricaCopper is one of the world's most important industrial minerals, and Africa is an important world producer. While output is traditionally dominated by Zambia, South Africa and Katanga Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, many African nations contribute to copper...
- Iron ore in AfricaIron ore in AfricaIron ore production in Africa is dominated by South Africa, Mauritania and Algeria; Zimbabwe and Morocco produce ore for use within the country. Many countries possess iron ore deposits that are as yet unmined...
- MiningMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
- Platinum groupPlatinum groupThe platinum group metals is a term used sometimes to collectively refer to six metallic elements clustered together in the periodic table.These elements are all transition metals, lying in the d-block .The six...
- Platinum group:sources
- Titanium in AfricaTitanium in AfricaTitanium mining in Africa has been beset by environmental problems due to the polluting nature of processing rutile, a principal titanium ore. Titanium production in Africa includes the following principal countries and companies.- Kenya:...
- Uranium in AfricaUranium in AfricaUranium production is an important part of the African economy, with Niger, Namibia and South Africa creating up to 18% of the world's annual production...