Glencore-Merafe Suspends Operations at Lion Ferrochrome Smelter

On June 4, 2025, Merafe Resources (Merafe) disclosed externally that its ferrochrome smelter, Lion, with an annual capacity of 720,000 mt, had been closed as of May 31, 2025. The planned closure period exceeds three months, and the reason for the closure is due to the expansion of ferrochrome capacity in China, which would put pressure on the company's operations if smelting continued. Additionally, in its Q1 2025 quarterly report, Merafe had already announced the indefinite closure of Boshoek and the suspension of operations at Wonderkop. The closure of Lion signifies that all of Glencore-Merafe's ferrochrome smelting operations in South Africa have now ceased.