Recent strikes in South Africa’s platinum-group metal mines: effects upon world platinum-group metal supplies

Open-File Report 2012-1273
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Abstract

The recent labor disputes over wages and working conditions that have affected South Africa’s three leading platinum-group metal (PGM) producers have affected an industry already plagued by market pressures and labor unrest and raised the specter of constraints in the world’s supply of these metals. Although low demand for these metals in 2011 and 2012 helped to offset production losses of recent years, and particularly those losses caused by the strikes in 2012, a prolonged resumption of strikes could cause severe shortages of iridium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, and, to a lesser extent, palladium.

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Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Recent strikes in South Africa’s platinum-group metal mines: effects upon world platinum-group metal supplies
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2012-1273
DOI 10.3133/ofr20121273
Edition Originally posted on December 21, 2012; Revised on September 6, 2013
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) National Minerals Information Center
Description iv, 18 p.
First page i
Last page 18
Country South Africa
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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