Tharisa Minerals Commences Underground Transition At PGM Mine With Inaugural Blast To Extend Operational Life By 60 Years

Tharisa Minerals begins its underground transition in South Africa, a move set to extend the PGM mine's life by 60 years as openpit resources deplete.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 9:27 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Mining Weekly

A Milestone Blast for Long-Term Resource Security

Tharisa Minerals has reached a pivotal turning point in its operational history with the execution of its first underground blast on Tuesday. The event marks the formal beginning of a strategic transition for the platinum group metals (PGM) mine located on the western limb of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa’s North West province. CEO Phoevos Pouroulis noted that while the mine has thrived as an openpit operation, the move underground has always been a core component of the long-term feasibility plan. This transition is designed to unlock at least 60 years of additional mine life, ensuring the site remains a significant contributor to the regional economy well into the latter half of the century.

Phased Development of Twin Decline Portals

The underground expansion is structured around the development of two primary decline systems, named Apollo and Orion. Initial work has commenced at the Apollo portal access, situated on the western side of the existing openpit. Over the next three years, Tharisa plans to ramp up production at Apollo to a steady state of 255,000 tonnes per month. Once this target is achieved, the focus will shift to the Orion portal on the eastern side. The two workings are eventually intended to meet, creating a unified underground infrastructure capable of delivering an aggregate 510,000 tonnes of ore monthly.

Maintaining Processing Capacity and Operational Headroom

By the time the transition to fully underground operations is completed in 2034, the combined output from the east and west portals will exceed 6.2 million tonnes annually. This production target is strategically set above the mine’s current processing nameplate capacity of 5.6 million tonnes. According to leadership, this "headroom" provides the company with valuable optionality, allowing for a potential future increase in processing capacity or the ability to maintain peak output even during periods of geological complexity. The mirrored design of the two portals ensures balanced logistics and consistent feed to the processing plants.