Magna Reports PGM-Bearing Drill Intervals at Levack​

[SMM PGM Flash] Generation Mining has begun early construction at its Marathon copper–palladium project in northwestern Ontario. Work started after the company posted a C$6.5 million bond covering construction-phase site rehabilitation. Its wider early-works programme is planned to include access-road upgrades, water-management structures and temporary power through late 2026 and into 2027. The start moves a potential North American palladium and platinum source into physical site work. Generation’s feasibility study estimates about 2.16 million payable ounces of palladium and 488,000 ounces of platinum over a 13-year mine life; these are forecasts, not production. The company also expects to make about C$30 million in initial equipment payments, subject to final contracts and approvals.

[SMM PGM Flash] Platinum Group Metals said on 1 October that independent testing by the Battery Innovation Center had validated its Lion Battery subsidiary’s platinum- and palladium-based electrodes in prototype lithium-sulphur cells. Compared with cells without the catalysts, the prototypes showed better capacity and rate capability, with palladium-rich formulations performing best overall. Platinum Group and Valterra Platinum, which own Lion 52% and 48% respectively, have approved funding for the next phase. The result offers a possible new use for PGMs beyond vehicle exhaust catalysts, but remains a prototype milestone. Lion plans to make and test pouch cells, refine the catalysts and assess applications including drones. Commercial performance and demand for significant PGM volumes have yet to be established. The work is relevant to Southern African suppliers: Valterra produces PGMs in South Africa and Zimbabwe, while Platinum Group is developing South Africa’s Waterberg project.

[SMM PGM Flash] Sibanye-Stillwater announced on 30 September that workers at its East Boulder platinum and palladium mine in Montana had ratified a collective agreement with the United Steelworkers. The deal runs retroactively from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2029, with a 4.5% wage increase in year one, the greater of 3.5% or CPI in year two and the greater of 3.0% or CPI in year three. Strike action at the separate Stillwater East mine and Columbus metallurgical facility continues, the company said. The East Boulder settlement fixes part of the labour-cost path for Sibanye’s US PGM business and supports its planned shift towards more mechanised mining and team-based incentives. It does not resolve the other strike or demonstrate a recovery in output; the company disclosed no revised production guidance in this release.