From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report.

Sashnee Moodley:
Anglo American Platinum launched its newly commissioned chrome recovery plant earlier in January at its Thabazimbi-based Amandelbult complex in Limpopo. Dylan Slater tells us more.

Dylan Slater:
The R474-million chrome recovery plant was commissioned in mid-2016, having entered formal operation in September, 2016 and will produce two grades of concentrated chromite, including a metallurgical grade and chemical grade. It uses a network of 300 spirals, which use the force of gravity to extract chromite from ore mined at the Tumela and Dishaba mines, both within the Amandelbult complex.

Amplats projects GM Etienne Espag
 

Dylan Slater:
Although chromite has always existed in the Upper Group 2 reef mined at the Amadelbult complex, the extraction of the material using the new recovery plant will further add value to Amplats’ existing basket of platinum group metals.

Amplats projects GM Etienne Espag
 

Dylan Slater:
The plant is designed to process about 700 000 t/y, but Amplats projects GM Etienne Espag says the plant will operate at between 600 000 t/y and 650 000 t/y. He runs us through the timeline of its construction

Amplats projects GM Etienne Espag

Sashnee Moodley:
Other news making headlines:
South Africa remains on junk ‘knife-edge’ as ANC succession takes centre stage
And, New black-owned compressed-air company launched

South Africa will remain on a downgrade “knife-edge” in 2017, Standard Bank chief economist Goolam Ballim warns, despite the bank’s view that the country’s growth will recover to 1.4% from only 0.4% last year.
Standard Bank chief economist Goolam Ballim

The South African compressed-air industry recently celebrated the launch of its first 100% black-owned company, Enza Air, a division of industrial holdings company Asani Group.
Enza Air MD Chris Mazume
 

Sashnee Moodley:
That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.