Platinum catch-22 prevents miners tapping the hottest metals
South African miners face a conundrum: increasing palladium and rhodium output to take advantage of soaring prices risks depressing the already fragile market for sister metal platinum.
The main challenge for mining near-Earth celestial bodies is neither technology nor cost, but simply “convincing people it is realistic,” says Dr. Phil Metzger.
Anglo American Platinum forced to stockpile concentrate and shut down smelter in South Africa responsible for one fifth of its refined platinum output.