Major Northern Smelter Completes Successful Tender Sale of Refined Bismuth at 130,000 Yuan/MT Amid Rising Prices

[SMM Express] Transport-related costs remain an important cost challenge for South Africa's chrome industry. The Minerals Council South Africa said in its latest Mining Input Cost Inflation report that chrome and manganese experienced elevated input-cost inflation in June, largely due to their reliance on transportation networks, particularly road freight, where higher fuel prices have increased operating costs. The pressure comes alongside elevated energy costs, with the Minerals Council noting that higher fuel prices and the full impact of winter electricity tariffs are expected to keep mining input-cost inflation elevated in the coming months. For chrome producers, the combination of fuel-intensive ore transportation and higher power costs could continue to weigh on margins, particularly for operations dependent on longer road-haulage routes to processing plants and export corridors.

[SMM Express] Southern Palladium has secured a 30-year mining right for its Bengwenyama PGM-chrome project on the Eastern Limb of South Africa's Bushveld Complex. The right was granted by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources on August 7, 2026, marking a key regulatory milestone for the development, which is planned to recover both PGMs and chrome from UG2 ore. The development is particularly relevant to the chrome market following recent metallurgical testwork that lifted expected chromite recovery to 85.6%, from the 30%assumption in the earlier pre-feasibility study, potentially raising chrome concentrate production to about 1.054 million mt/y at the planned Stage 2 expansion. The mining right therefore strengthens the pathway for a future additional chrome supply source from South Africa's Bushveld Complex, although the project remains subject to further development and financing milestones.

Global chrome ore departures from major export ports totaled 717,000 mt in the week ended August 7, up 12.68% week-on-week, according to SMM's latest data. The increase was primarily driven by Maputo, which handled 496,200 mt, accounting for about 69% of total shipments. Richards Bay followed with 171,500 mt, while Mersin recorded 49,300 mt and Beira reported no chrome ore departures. The latest data also shows a notable shift in weekly flows. Maputo shipments increased from 389,300 mt in the previous week, while Richards Bay shipments eased from 180,400 mt and Mersin shipments declined from 66,600 mt. The stronger overall departures, led by Maputo, point to increased seaborne chrome ore flows from Southern Africa during the latest reporting week, with the port distribution highlighting the continued importance of Mozambique and South Africa's export corridors in global chrome ore supply.