commissioning of the chrome plant in December 2023. Project capital at Rustenburg of R101 million (US$6 million) for 2024 was spent on
the Reflux Classifier plant upgrade and preparation for the Siphumelele mechanised UG2 project.
The average 4E PGM basket price declined by 16% to R24,213/4Eoz (US$1,322/4Eoz) for 2024 and 8% higher AISC primarily due to higher
costs at Rustenburg and Kroondal resulted in adjusted EBITDA decreasing by 58% year-on-year to R7.4 billion (US$407 million).
PGM production from the Rustenburg operation for 2024 decreased by 7% to 610,404 4Eoz with underground production 6% (35,714 4Eoz)
lower and surface production 15% (12,299 4Eoz) lower. Production was impacted by the Siphumelele shaft bin failure which halted
production for 8 weeks, before ramping up strongly from 1 May 2024 and complex ground conditions associated with the Hex River fault
slowing the build up in production from the Bathopele mine, where mining is declining in line with the life of mine plan. Surface production
was impacted by lower rainfall resulting in the curtailment of the surface operations in order to conserve water. These factors resulted in
AISC increasing by 17% to R21,307/4Eoz (US$1,163/4Eoz).
The acquisition of Anglo American Platinum's 50% share in the Kroondal PSA (effective 1 November 2023), added 140,278 4Eoz (20,900
4Eoz for two months for 2023) to attributable PGM production of 280,556 4Eoz from the Kroondal operation for 2024. Comparable
production on a 100% basis was 15% or 50,148 4Eoz lower than for 2023, primarily due to the closure of Simunye at the end of 2023, which
produced 17,480 4Eoz for 2023, and 13,789 4Eoz less production from the closure of the end of life Klipfontein opencast mine. Unprotected
labour unrest which commenced on 3 June 2024 and ended on 17 June, affected production from the K6, Kwezi and Kopaneng shafts.
From 1 September 2024, the historical PoC agreement with Anglo American Platinum for processing of PGM concentrate from the
Kroondal operations changed to a toll agreement, on the same terms as the existing Rustenburg toll agreement. As a result, AISC for
Kroondal increased in Q4 2024 due to increased tolling costs compared to the POC agreement where processing costs are not reflected
in operating costs but in reduced revenue. With the move from PoC to toll, Kroondal will have higher operating costs but will also derive
full exposure to the metal price and higher margins when sales are realised. In 2024 AISC at Kroondal increased by 12% to R21,757/4Eoz
(US$1,188/4Eoz) primarily as a result of absorbing 100% of the costs of the Kroondal operation and 15% lower production on a pro-rata
basis. Based on the terms of the tolling agreement, delivery of concentrate to Anglo American Platinum from 1 September 2024 to year
end would not convert into sales, resulting in a build up of metal inventory in process of 88,949 4Eoz with a book value of R2.0 billion
(US$108 million) at 31 December 2024.
4E PGM production from the Marikana operation for 2024 (excluding PoC) increased by 3% to 679,245 4Eoz, despite the restructuring of
the Rowland shaft and closure of the 4B shaft during Q1 2024 where production was 23% (23,077 4Eoz) and 82% (36,244 4Eoz) lower
respectively year-on-year. Underground production benefited from the continued ramp up of production at 4 shaft, increasing by 2% to
644,490 4Eoz and surface production 23% higher at 34,755 4Eoz, due to greater throughput and higher plant head grade, particularly from
the bulk tailings treatment (BTT) facility, where higher grades at the base of the ETD1 tailings storage facility, which will reach the end of its
life in March 2025, are being mined. The Marikana surface operations converted from hydro mining to a hydro/mechanical hybrid
method in 2023 which has led to lower feed densities, better recoveries and improved plant stability facilitating higher throughput. PGM
production for 2024 including PoC of 96,464 4Eoz increased by 3% to 775,709 4Eoz. The restructuring of higher cost production and
increase in production resulted in AISC (excluding PoC) of R23,430/4Eoz (US$1,279/4Eoz) increasing by 3%, well below inflation. As
production from the K4 shaft project is expected to build up to steady state production of 250,000 4Eoz in 2030, and ORD normalises from
currently elevated levels, K4 shaft unit costs will decrease significantly, reducing average costs for the Marikana operations, improving its
position on the industry cost curve relative to PGM industry peers.
Attributable production from Mimosa increased by 5% year-on-year to 122,639 4Eoz due to 6% higher tons milled and higher recoveries
following the commissioning of the plant optimization project in 2023. AISC declined by 13% to US$1,152/4Eoz (R21,103/4Eoz) due to the
increase in production and 48% decrease in sustaining capital to US$30 million (R548 million) following the commissioning of the new TSF in
April 2024.
PGM production from Platinum Mile of 46,102 4Eoz for 2024, was 11% lower than for 2023 due to lower production from the Rustenburg
underground operations as well as lower surface mined tailings feed, due to a fire in September which temporarily impacted electricity
supply. The new chrome extraction plant which was commissioned at the end of 2023, produced 86kt of chrome for 2024 and is expected
to produce at nameplate capacity of 120ktpa in 2025. AISC decreased by 16% to R9,674/4Eoz (US$528/4Eoz) primarily due to chrome by-
product credits of R426 million (US$23 million).
SA gold operations
The strategic importance of the Group's diversified portfolio of metals, is again evidenced by the significant increase in the financial
contribution of the SA gold operations to the Group. Despite significant restructuring, these mature mines buoyed by the tailwind of a
strong gold price in a challenging period for most other metals, which are more aligned with industrial economic cycles, delivered
materially better financial results for 2024. Adjusted EBITDA from the SA gold operations increased by 66% year-on-year, from R3.5 billion
(US$193 million) for 2023 to R5.8 billion (US$323 million) for 2024 (R3 billion loss in 2021). The 66% increase in adjusted EBITDA from our SA gold
operations has provided a critical underpin for the Group, comprising 45% of Group adjusted EBITDA for 2024, from 17% the year before.
This was achieved during a period of significant change and disruption due to necessary restructuring undertaken by the Group since
2022 and operational disruptions highlighted in the H1 2024 results.
Gold production from the SA gold operations (including DRDGOLD) for 2024, decreased by 13% to 21,915kg (704,583oz). Production
(excluding DRDGOLD) decreased by 16% (3,218kg) to 16,896kg (543,219oz), but was within revised guidance of 16,500 to 17,500 kg (530
to 563 koz) given in mid-2024 following the significant disruptions at the Kloof operation which constituted 72% of the production
difference with the back-break incident at Beatrix 3 shaft comprising a further 15%.
AISC for the SA gold operations (excluding DRDGOLD) for 2024 increased by 13% to R1,342,548/kg (US$2,280/oz), due to a 15% decrease
in gold sold year-on-year of 17,218kg (553,571oz). A 5% increase in ORD expenditure to R2.8 billion (US$155 million) due to strategic
development of secondary reefs to sustain production at Kloof and Driefontein was offset by a 33% reduction in sustaining capital
expenditure to R691 million (US$38 million). AISC for the SA gold operations (including DRDGOLD) for 2024 similarly increased by 11% to
R1,251,810/kg (US$2,126/oz).
Total capital expenditure from the SA gold operations (excluding DRDGOLD) decreased by 28% to R3.9 billion (US$212 million) primarily
due to the closure of Kloof 4 shaft. Project capital decreased by 79% to R354 million (US$19 million) due to the closure of the Kloof 4 shaft
and the Burnstone project being placed on care-and-maintenance. Capital expenditure from DRDGOLD increased by 157% to R3.4
billion (US$184 million) primarily due to a 255% increase in project capital expenditure, from R882 million (US$48 million) for 2023 to R3.1
billion (US$171 million) for 2024. This increase was primarily on Phase 2 of the Far west gold recoveries operations, including R642 million
(US$35 million) on the construction of a regional tailings storage facility (RTSF) and the completion and commissioning of the full phase of
the solar plant (60MW) and the battery energy storage system (BESS 160MW) which was completed in November 2024.