JOHANNESBURG - Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) is now able to begin processing concentrate and lift the force majeure to suppliers of concentrate after completing repairs at Phase B of the Anglo Converter Plant (ACP)following an explosion rocked the smelting facility in February, it told investors today.
Amplats said that the downstream processing operations were completing a safe ramp-
up and were expected to be fully operational from next Tuesday (May 12), and force majeure to suppliers of concentrate would be lifted on that date.
The repairs were completed ahead of schedule and at an estimated cost of R150 million, in line with the lower end of previous estimates, said the group.
Chief executive, Natascha Viljoen, said: “I am pleased to report that we have safely and successfully completed the repair of the ACP Phase B unit ahead of schedule, enabling the restart of refined production of our platinum group metals and our base metals.
However due to the time taken to refine the respective platinum group and base metals, the force majeure notice remained in effect for our refined metal customers.
“Force majeure arrangements with these customers will be lifted in the future and in line with the provisions of our agreements,” Amplats said.
Amplats also said that repair work on the ACP Phase A unit continued and was progressing in line with the project plan.
In March Amplats announced the temporary shutdown of the entire ACP, part of the chain of processing facilities, and the need to declare force majeure after the phase A converter plant, was damaged following an explosion within the converter in February.
Phase B was commissioned to take over Phase A, however it was temporarily shut down after water was detected in the furnace.