South Africa's militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union expects a deal with Impala Platinum over wages soon.

Under the DFS mine plan, first production is estimated in late 2023 with ramp-up to steady state by 2027.

Joseph Mathunjwa has been at the helm of AMCU since it was officially registered in 2002.

As wage negotiations with some South African platinum producers reach deadlock, one labor union welcomed a new rule for any strike to require backing from workers in a secret ballot.

The Bushveld Complex in South Africa hosts most of the global platinum-group element, chromium, and vanadium resources.

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) demanded in June a monthly basic wage hike of about 48%.

The company has completed a new resource estimate showing a 20% increase in contained palladium equivalent.