[SMM Precious Metals Express]

In its latest annual results briefing, Northam Platinum unusually identified artificial intelligence, data storage, electronics and robotics as key new sources of future platinum-group metals (PGM) demand, sending a notable signal to the PGM market. Chief Executive Officer Paul Dunne said the company remains bullish on platinum, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium, citing declining supply from South African mines and still-supportive autocatalyst demand, alongside growing new applications in AI and high-tech industries. He noted that the PGM market remains in supply deficit, while industrial demand stays robust driven by emerging applications.

A research team at Utkal University in India has published a review on organoiridium(III) anticancer complexes, focusing on how Schiff base and oxime ligands affect the biological activity, cytotoxicity and mechanisms of action of Ir(III) complexes. Platinum-based drugs such as cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin have demonstrated that platinum-group metals (PGMs) can be developed into large-scale clinical therapeutics. However, nephrotoxicity, drug resistance and non-selective damage to healthy cells are driving metal-drug research to extend toward other PGMs including ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir) and osmium (Os).

Tharisa launched fixed-income investor meetings on September 2, planning to issue a five-year senior secured bond with an initial size of USD 300 million through its wholly-owned subsidiary Arxo Finance. The proceeds will primarily fund remaining capital expenditure at the Karo Platinum mine in Zimbabwe and for general corporate purposes. DNB Carnegie and HSBC act as joint bookrunners, with Absa as co-manager. It should be noted that whether the bond will be formally issued, as well as the final coupon rate and size, remain subject to investor meeting outcomes and market conditions, and should therefore be viewed as a financing arrangement rather than a completed fundraising.