Sibanye-Stillwater, a global precious metal mining firm led by South African magnate Neal Froneman, reported a significant $2.52 billion impairment charge in its financial statement for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. This setback is linked to the drop in platinum group metals (PGM) prices, which has harmed mining corporations worldwide.
The impairment is mostly due to various variables, including slowing global economic development, a shift toward electric vehicles, which reduces demand for platinum and palladium, global tensions, and supply chain disruption. These issues have contributed to a drop in the prices of important metals such as platinum and palladium, adding to the current market instability.
Sibanye-Stillwater’s most recent report expands on its prior disclosure regarding potential effects on profits and investor confidence.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the company said: “We have already taken proactive steps to address loss-making production at unprofitable operations, and the group remains focused on ensuring the sustainability of our business and delivering on our strategic essentials through this period of low commodity prices.”
The Neal Froneman-led company is struggling, as seen by its declining stock price on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. This week, its shares fell by 3.74 percent, from R20.85 ($1.104) to R20.07 ($1.063).
This fall underlines the mining company’s persistent challenges, particularly because it expects to incur a loss per share in 2023 ranging from R12.68 ($0.668) to R14.01 ($0.738). This contrasts starkly with the previous year’s profit of R6.51 ($0.343) per share.
The multinational mining firm, with operations in South Africa and engagement in gold and base metal mining projects in South Africa and the Americas, is a key player in the global precious metals market.
Neal Froneman, who was essential in transforming the company into a prominent producer of platinum, palladium, and gold, now owns 0.3 percent of the precious metal mining group, which equates to 8,382,849 ordinary shares.
In recent years, the worldwide platinum group metals (PGM) industry has faced rising expenses for power, water, salaries, and fuel, as well as a significant drop in PGM pricing. This has had a particularly strong impact on Sibanye-Stillwater, which has expanded beyond gold to include PGMs and battery metals.
The new admission has stirred debate about the difficult balance between sustaining mining companies’ financial health and protecting workers’ livelihoods in an industry facing substantial challenges.