Despite temporary power constraints, related to challenges at State-owned power utility Eskom, the Thaba Joint Venture (JV) chrome ore and platinum group metals (PGMs) project is steadily progressing and remains on schedule to become a significant revenue contributor, says 50:50 JV partner Sylvania Platinum.

Located on the western limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, in South Africa, the Thaba JV is a partnership between Sylvania and Limberg Mining Company (LMC), each with a 50% stake in the project, to produce PGMs and chromite concentrate through a combined processing operation.

Following a period of construction, commissioning work and workforce mobilisation, plant commissioning was completed by mid-year, following which a production ramp-up has been initiated, Sylvania CEO Jaco Prinsloo informs Mining Weekly.

This progress, he says, places the project on a firm path towards achieving full operational capacity and steady-state production in the 2026 financial year ending June 30, 2026.

The first chrome and PGM concentrates from the Thaba JV were dispatched after the 2025 financial year-end.

Plant commissioning was finalised despite initial construction delays which were caused by heavy rainfall and a safety-related pause.

As for the mine’s power supply, Prinsloo highlights that while the Thaba JV’s new primary Eskom and consumer substations are still under construction, the plant is reliant on a temporary power supply comprising a 3 MVA component from the existing 22 kV rural Eskom network, combined with 2.5 MVA diesel generating capacity.

Owing to the rural line being unstable, repeated power interruptions slowed the early ramp-up profile, with the project’s power supply having to be supplemented by an additional 3.5 MVA of diesel generator capacity. This enabled the plant to run independently of the Eskom line until the permanent supply was commissioned.

“The high-voltage to medium-voltage stepdown substation was successfully commissioned on November 20, 2025 and the operation’s power is now supplied from this permanent facility,” says Prinsloo.

Despite the revised schedule, the project fundamentals remain strong and the operation is expected to become a major revenue contributor once the ramp-up phase is complete and the project reaches full operational capacity.

Further, most of the employees and contractors were deployed to site at the start of the 2025 calendar year to support a smooth commissioning period and help maintain production stability during ramp-up, he adds.

Prinsloo says insights gained during commissioning and the latest mining schedule from the current ore source will be used to assist operational and technical teams with their focus towards process optimisation for the remainder of the financial year.

Combination of Strengths

The Thaba JV leverages the strengths of Sylvania Platinum and LMC to recover PGMs and produce chromite concentrate.

“The collaboration draws on Sylvania’s PGM processing expertise and LMC’s proficiency in fine-chromite beneficiation. With an expected internal rate of return above 20% and a cash payback period of less than three years from commissioning, the JV is positioned to deliver strong financial returns while broadening Sylvania’s commodity base,” states Prinsloo.

The JV processes PGM and chrome ores from historical tailings dumps and current production from the Limberg chrome mine, on the northern part of the western limb.

Prinsloo says this approach supports resource efficiency by combining primary and secondary feed sources in one beneficiation circuit.

The Thaba JV is expected to reach full operational capacity by the first quarter of 2026, supported by the completion of permanent power infrastructure and ongoing optimisation of plant throughput.

The next phase of work will focus on stabilising production, refining recoveries and preparing the site for continuous, steady-state output.

Prinsloo says the Thaba JV is aligned with Sylvania’s broader growth strategy to increase resource access, lift output and strengthen market presence: “The Thaba JV is expected to play a central role in expanding production volumes and enhancing shareholder value as it progresses through 2026”.