Ivanhoe Advances Platreef Expansion With Key Shaft and Processing Milestones

Ivanhoe Mines Marks Major Platreef Milestones as Shaft #3 Completion and Phase 2 Expansion Drive Production Growth in South Africa

Canadian mining company Ivanhoe Mines has announced the completion of three significant development milestones at its Platreef Mine project in Limpopo, South Africa, marking important progress toward the mine’s Phase 2 and future Phase 3 expansions.

The milestones include:

• Completion of construction of the four-million-tonne-per-year Shaft #3
• Groundbreaking for the Phase 2 concentrator facility
• Commencement of shaft widening activities at Shaft #2

Company officials stated that these developments represent a major step forward in scaling production capacity and preparing the operation for long-term growth.

Expanded Hoisting Capacity Strengthens Production Flexibility

The completion of Shaft #3, together with its associated underground materials-handling and crushing infrastructure, significantly increases the mine’s hoisting capacity.

Total available hoisting capacity has increased approximately five-fold to about five million tonnes per year.

This expansion will allow greater operational flexibility in hoisting both ore and waste rock to surface, reducing reliance on Shaft #1, which previously constrained production logistics.

The enhanced infrastructure forms a critical component of the broader Phase 2 expansion strategy, enabling higher mining rates and improved operational efficiency as the project transitions toward steady-state production.

Production Ramp-Up Underway

Since achieving initial production in the fourth quarter of last year, the Phase 1 concentrator has processed lower-grade development ore while underground development activities continued.

Long-hole stoping of the Flatreef orebody is expected to begin shortly, a development that will allow the Phase 1 concentrator to ramp up to commercial production levels from mid-year.

Underground development is also expected to accelerate significantly in preparation for the commissioning of the Phase 2 concentrator, scheduled to become operational by the end of next year.

Development work will focus on opening additional mining areas to increase ore supply sufficient to support the planned 3.3-million-tonne-per-year Phase 2 concentrator.

Construction Progress on Phase 2 Processing Infrastructure

Groundbreaking for the Phase 2 concentrator site took place on April 9, marking the formal start of construction activities.

The facility is expected to be completed by the end of next year and will play a central role in expanding processing capacity at the mine.

Concurrent with major earthworks at the site, engineering teams are finalizing process and mechanical designs, equipment layouts, and infrastructure planning.

Procurement of long-lead mechanical and electrical equipment has also commenced, a standard step in large-scale mining project development to mitigate supply chain delays and ensure adherence to project timelines.

Shaft #2 Upgrade to Support Future Expansion

Following completion of the concrete headgear for Shaft #2 in the fourth quarter of last year, construction has shifted to widening the shaft to its final operational diameter of 10 meters.

The shaft was initially raise-bored to a diameter of 3.1 meters in late 2024. The contract to expand the shaft to its final diameter was awarded to United Mining Services.

Site mobilization was completed during the first quarter of this year, and the first controlled excavation blast  known in mining operations as a slipe blast was successfully conducted on April 1 according to project schedules.

Shaft #2 is expected to be ready to hoist personnel and materials by the end of 2028 and to begin hoisting ore by the end of 2029.

Once operational, the shaft will support steady-state production under Phase 2 and provide essential infrastructure for the longer-term Phase 3 expansion.

Strategic Significance of the Platreef Project

The Platreef project represents one of the largest and most mechanized platinum-group metals developments in South Africa, targeting a broad suite of metals including platinum, palladium, rhodium, nickel, copper, and gold.

These commodities are increasingly classified as critical minerals due to their importance in industrial manufacturing, clean energy technologies, and automotive applications, including catalytic converters and battery systems.

As global demand for these metals continues to grow, the phased expansion of the Platreef mine positions the project as a significant long-term contributor to both regional mining output and global supply chains.