Chrome is a growing value contributor to Sibanye-Stillwater's South African platinum group metals portfolio, delivering margins, resilience and project support, Mining Weekly has reported.
In 2025, chrome contributed 8% of the revenue of Sibanye-Stillwater's South Africa PGM operations and has been an enabler of project feasibilities as well as an extender of the life of tailings facilities.
“We're on the path to be a chrome producer to be reckoned with. We currently do 10% of South Africa's chrome production, 5% worldwide. If we achieve the chrome growth that is projected, we will exceed that 10% by quite a significant amount,” Sibanye-Stillwater VP chrome and base metals Babsie Crane said during the company's Capital Markets Day.
The chrome management agreement signed with Glencore Merafe Chrome Venture in 2025 repositions the commercial terms of legacy contracts and attracts considerable value earlier.
The agreement creates an opportunity to join technology forces as it relates to fine chrome along with operational synergies through the combined asset footprint.
Sibanye-Stillwater owns six of the 12 chrome recovery plants on its footprint and Glencore five, making way for synergies to be unlocked.
Expansion plans point to a 75% increase in chrome volumes, which will enhance Sibanye's domestic and global market positions.
The company is expected to produce chrome at a rate of 2.3 million tons a year until 2033.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor-In-Chief, Rough & Polished
