SIBANYE-Stillwater has formed a partnership with platinum group metal (PGM) research house and semi-fabricator, Johnson Matthey, aimed at sourcing and developing technologies that further the downstream use of metals such as palladium and rhodium.
“Fast-tracking green technology and working together to achieve ESG (Environment, Sustainability and Governance) excellence will enable us to continue to improve lives and the environment,” said Neal Froneman, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater.
The two companies said they would source and apply PGMs and metals used in battery technology to enable the development and commercialisation of low carbon technologies, with a focus on “circularity and sustainability”.
They would also combine their extensive expertise in metals recycling to improve current technologies, particularly for ‘difficult to recover’ materials.
Johnson Matthey and Sibanye-Stillwater have also extended their current PGM supply and refining agreement to ensure long term sustainable supply for Johnson Matthey’s products and customers, they said.
PGMs play a vital role in low carbon technologies that will enable the path to net zero targets globally, Sibanye-Stillwater said.
“PGMs are at the heart of electrolyser technologies for producing green hydrogen (that is hydrogen produced from renewable energy and with no greenhouse gas emissions),” it said. “PGMs are also a crucial component of fuel cells, facilitating the conversion of hydrogen into electrical energy with no harmful emissions.”
