About 80% of the worlds’ reserves for platinum group metals (PGMs) are in South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex. Processing of PGM involves comminution, flotation, smelting, converting, base metals refinery and precious metals refinery. Due to increasing chrome content in the feed and the challenges associated with operating high chrome feed, alternative routes to smelting of PGM are being investigated. Some hydrometallurgical routes have been proposed. However, none of the reported potential routes have yet been commercialised.
Part of the book: Noble and Precious Metals