Underground mining method where ore is extracted from rectangular shaped rooms, leaving parts of the ore as pillars to support the roof. Pillars are usually rectangular and arranged in a regular pattern.
Concentrating
A process of splitting the ground ore in two fractions, one containing the valuable minerals, the other waste.
Cost per tonne/refined platinum ounce/refined PGM ounce
The cash cost of mining, concentrating, smelting, refining, marketing and corporate office refined platinum expressed per unit of measure.
Decline
A shallow dipping mining excavation used to access the orebody.
Dense media separation
A means of separating reef from waste, exploiting differences in density.
Development
Underground excavation for the purpose of accessing mineral reserves.
DME
Department of Minerals and Energy.
FIFR
Fatal injury frequency rate which is the number of fatal injuries expressed as a rate per million manhours worked.
g/t
Grams per tonne. The unit of measurement of grade, equivalent to parts per million.
Group unit cost
The cash cost of mining, concentrating and other operating expenses (marketing, corporate office) per refined ounce/ expressed per unit of mine-to-market measure, as well as the cost of smelting and refining expressed refined PGM ounce per gross unit of measure.
HDSA
Historically disadvantaged South Africans, being South African nationals who were, prior to 1994, disadvantaged whether by legislation or convention.
Headgrade
The value, usually expressed in parts per million or grams per tonne, of the contained mineralisation of economic interest in material delivered to the mill.
In situ
In its natural position or place.
IRS
Impala Refining Services Limited.
Kriging
A geostatistical estimation method that gives the best unbiased linear estimates of point values or of block averages.
LTIFR
Lost-time injury frequency rate which is the number of lost-time injuries expressed as a rate per million manhours worked.
Merensky Reef
A horizon in the Critical Zone of the Bushveld Complex often containing economic grades of PGM. The term Merensky Reef as it is generally used refers to that part of the Merensky unit that is economically exploitable, regardless of the rock type.
MF2
Two-stage milling and flotation (mill-float, mill-float).
Milling
Grinding of ore into the fine particles to expose the valuable minerals.
NOx
Nitrous oxides contained in exhaust emissions.
PGE
Platinum group elements comprising six elemental metals of the platinum group. The metals are platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium.
PGM
Platinum group metals as referred to in this report includes the suite of five platinum group metals (platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium) and gold, which are otherwise referred to as 5PGM+Au.
RBH
Royal Bafokeng Holdings (Pty) Limited.
RBN
Royal Bafokeng Nation.
Remnant areas
Remnant, or white areas, are previously abandoned sections at Impala which are currently being mined.
Seismic surveys
A geographysical exploration method whereby rock layers can be mapped based on the time taken for energy reflected from these layers to return to surface.
Smelting
A smelting process to upgrade further the fraction containing the valuable minerals.
Stoping
Underground excavations to effect the removal of ore.
UG2
A distinct chromitite horizon in the Critical Zone of the Bushveld Complex often containing economic grades of PGM.
