EXCURSION •
EXPLORING PMC – SO MUCH MORE THAN A MINE( PART 1)
By Sharyn Macnamara
PMC is unique. The company’ s legacy, its community and environment, its operations, together with the innovation that the PMC family and its leadership drive across all of these elements shine through in the company’ s internal employee initiatives and commitment to Zero Harm, its latest flagship projects and technological feats – all driving enormous production targets that are aimed at ensuring current and future business sustainability. In the first of a series of articles, African Mining introduces PMC and its ethos to our readers and unpacks the legacy and values that underpin PMC’ s latest modern mining achievements.
Palabora Copper( Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of the Palabora Mining Company( PMC) and a leading major copper mine, is located in the small town of Phalaborwa situated in the north-eastern part of the Limpopo province, within the Mopani District in South Africa. This entity finds itself adjacent to the worldrenowned Kruger National Park, and here wildlife, people and machinery co-exist in harmony. Over a period of 69 years, the mine has built a solid and enduring legacy inextricably intertwined with the growth and development of the town of Phalaborwa. PMC is not just a mine, delivering critical refined copper, vermiculite and magnetite to South Africa and the world. It is an economic powerhouse of innovation and has had a strong hand in driving and contributing towards the sustainability of the local economy of Phalaborwa since 1956. Today, the company’ s operations continue to push the envelope when it comes to transformation, responsible and safe mining practices, sustainably supporting the thriving mining ecosystem in the area. This surface and underground mining operation’ s legacy and future is intrinsically connected with the eight communities and the habitat they share with the fauna and flora of the area that host them. Neither the communities nor the operations that drive the local economy can function in isolation. With the Kruger National Park on their doorstep, theirs is a ternary relationship built over decades.
Meandering a shared mining memoire The name " Phalaborwa " was born centuries ago when the Ba-Phalaborwa people settled in the area in the 1800s. Its meaning – " better than the south " – indicates the area ' s perceived mineral wealth and healthier environment. The smelting of copper iron rendering copper of remarkable purity was produced in the Phalaborwa area as early as the 8th century. It was this prospect that offered a new start for the Ba-Phalaborwa tribe who moved in from the North to mine and trade in iron ore, evidenced by relics of works and clay smelting ovens found in the area. 1
This was the beginning of a town with a history steeped in mining, from early European attempts in the 1900s to mine copper and apatite used as fertiliser( unsuccessful due to the high cost of transport to access the remote area) to the discovery of uranium in the 1950s. Finally the discovery of copper was made prompted by South African geologist Dr Hans Merensky’ s prospecting expedition searching for economically viable deposits of apatite in the foskorite rocks in 1946. 2
PMC is unique in that we are not part of a mining province like the platinum mines or the gold mines in South Africa. Aside from our longstanding neighbour, phosphate producer, Foskor – we stand alone in this area as one of South Africa’ s‘ grand old’ copper mines and only producer of refined copper built on the back of the Phalaborwa Igneous Complex.
All images © PMC www. africanmining. co. za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • June 2025 • 17