ONE of the lesser appreciated benefits of the demerger of Valterra Platinum, formerly known as Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), from Anglo American in May is not having to field questions any more about the progress of the UK miner’s hydrogen-powered vehicle. This is a 220 ton hauling truck unveiled by Amplats in 2022 at an event attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“I looked like a young boy excited over a toy,” Ramaphosa joked after the demonstration. “When I get fired from my job, I’ll apply for a job to work this type of truck,” he said. Ramaphosa will not be president any more in three years, but it’s questionable whether a hydrogen truck will be waiting for him.
As CEO of Amplats, Miller was frequently questioned whether the hydrogen truck had commercial value, notwithstanding its trial run in front of the president. Because, in the background, Amplats worried whether the truck — a work in progress — would move at all.
Asked for an update on the vehicle, whose development has been moved to a site in the US, Miller replied: “The truck was an Anglo American project trialled at Mogalakwena [Valterra’s flagship mine]. It was Anglo’s proof of concept.”
Instead of worrying about hydrogen power, Valterra would focus on “operational excellence within the portfolio”, he said, clearly suggesting the group couldn’t afford to dabble in fancy (potentially expensive) downstream science.
“I think where we see opportunities is really how we can utilise technology which has been tried and tested,” says Miller.
“Decarbonisation in our world is that 80% of it comes from Eskom. If we can reduce that through our renewable energy programme, that feels like a more sustainable and more responsible thing for us to do for the future.”
