Nkomati mine
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| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | Machadodorp (Nkangala District Municipality) |
| Mpumalanga | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Production | |
| Products | Nickel |
| Owner | |
| Company | African Rainbow Minerals |
The Nkomati mine is a polymetallic mine in Mpumalanga province, the north-east of South Africa. It is located 300 km east of Johannesburg, between the Waterval Boven, Machadodorp and Badplaas.[1] Nkomati is under care and maintenance. It had been the only primary producer of Nickel in South Africa and represents one of the largest nickel reserves in South Africa having estimated reserves of 408.6 million tonnes of ore grading 0.33% nickel.[2] The 408.6 million tonnes of ore contains 1.35 million tonnes of nickel metal.[2][3]
The Nkomati deposit is part of the Uitkomst Complex, a Palaeoproterozoic intrusion approximately 2.05 billion years old. It is considered a satellite body of the Bushveld Igneous Complex. The complex is a tubular body approximately 9 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide, with a maximum thickness of 800 meters. The intrusion dips at 4 degrees to the northwest.[1][4][5]
Ownership and history
Mining in the area began with gold prospecting at the Little Mamre farm.[1] In the early 1990s, Anglovaal (Avmin) identified the massive sulphide lenses.[6]
In 2004, African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) acquired the stake held by Anglo American. A 50/50 joint venture was formed with LionOre in 2005. In 2007, Nornickel acquired LionOre and assumed the 50% stake in the Nkomati JV.[7] In November 2023, ARM and Nornickel signed an agreement for ARM to purchase Nornickel's interest. As part of the transaction, ARM assumed all environmental liabilities. The sale was finalized in July 2025.[8][9]
