Chrome mining in South Africa: a contractor's briefing

South Africa mined 22.9 million tonnes of chromite in 2024 and an estimated 23.6 million tonnes in 2025, more than any other country. The mines sit on the Bushveld Complex in North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. For a contractor, the work sits in opencast pits on the shallow seams and in the chrome that platinum mines recover. Tailings retreatment is a third stream. The market is set by exports to China and by the trucks that carry ore to Maputo.

Figures checked 25 Sep 2026. The next Stats SA mining release, for August 2026, is due on 13 Oct 2026.

Chrome mining in South Africa: key figures

Sources: Minerals Council Facts and Figures 2025, Minerals Council 2024 datasheets, USGS MCS 2026 Chromium, Stats SA P2041 July 2026, all read 25 Sep 2026. USGS reports mine production in gross weight.

Production rose 30% between 2019 and 2024 in the DMPR series, from 17.7 million to 22.9 million tonnes, and direct jobs rose from 20,847 to 25,824. Prices moved the other way in 2025: the Minerals Council says average chrome prices fell 8% to 12%, depending on lump grade.

Where chrome is mined

The Bushveld Complex is exposed in three limbs: eastern, western and northern. Its chromitite seams fall into a Lower Group (LG), a Middle Group (MG) and an Upper Group (UG), from bottom to top (Langa et al., Mineralium Deposita, 2020).

Impala Platinum’s resource statement names the seams that pay: the LG6, MG1 and UG2. The LG6 and MG1 “are mined by other operators close to surface in opencast and underground mining operations for its chromium content only” (Implats, 2015). The UG2 is mined for platinum group metals, and its chrome is a by-product.

USGS’s 2022 country report and company filings name the largest producers. The USGS entries describe 2022.

• Samancor Chrome operated the Eastern Chrome Mines in Limpopo and the Western Chrome Mines in North West.
• Glencore and Merafe Resources operated the Boshoek, Helena, Kroondal, Magareng, Thorncliffe and Waterval mines and produced about 3.84 million tonnes of chromite in 2022.
• Assore operated the Dwarsrivier mine in Mpumalanga, which produced at about 2.4 million tonnes a year and moved from open pit to underground in 2022.
• Platinum miners recover chrome from UG2 ore. Sibanye-Stillwater produced 2.25 million tonnes of chromite at Marikana and Rustenburg in 2022.
• Tharisa’s open pit is on the south-western limb. It produced 1.56 million tonnes of chrome concentrate in the year to 30 Sep 2025, from 5.4 million tonnes of reef mined (Tharisa FY2025 results).

(USGS 2022 Minerals Yearbook, South Africa, read 25 Sep 2026.)

How it is mined and where contractors work

The sources above describe four kinds of chrome operation. Each creates its own contractor work.

The shallow seams run out. Dwarsrivier’s move underground in 2022 is the pattern. Tharisa’s open pit had an estimated 18 years left in 2022, which could be followed by an underground mine (USGS, 2022 Yearbook). As a pit follows a dipping seam, each tonne of ore needs more waste moved. The strip ratio page covers how that feeds into a contractor’s volumes.

Rules that touch a chrome contract

The mining right holder carries the licence, but a contractor on site works under the Mine Health and Safety Act like everyone else. Our guide to the Mine Health and Safety Act for contractors covers those duties.

Procurement targets. The 2018 Mining Charter set targets of 80% of services and 70% of goods bought from South African companies (USGS, 2022 Yearbook). On 21 Sep 2021 the High Court held that the Charter is policy and not law. It set aside “the provisions around procurement of goods and services (especially the capital goods target), and supplier and enterprise development” (Daily Maverick, 22 Sep 2021; CER case summary).

Export controls (proposed). In June 2025 Cabinet announced three interventions for ferrochrome smelting: preferential electricity tariffs for smelters, export permits for chrome through ITAC, and an export tax on chrome concentrate. Government documents put the tax at 5% to 25% (Minerals Council, Facts and Figures 2025). ITAC’s notice of October 2025 said a “permit processing system for chrome ore is set to be established” and gave four weeks for comment (ITAC). The latest status we have is from trade press. On 4 Sep 2026 Shanghai Metals Market described the permits and tax as “approved in principle by Cabinet, but not yet gazetted or enacted” (SMM).

Illegal mining. The Minerals Council estimates that “roughly 10% of South Africa’s chrome output is illegally mined”. The permit system is meant partly to curb illegal exports.

New mining law. The draft Mineral Resources Development Bill of 2025 “aims to reform licensing, community participation and regulatory certainty” (Minerals Council, Facts and Figures 2025).

Chrome logistics

Chrome is a bulk export, so the road and the port decide the margin. These are the Minerals Council’s 2025 figures.

• About 9 million tonnes of chrome ore a year move by road, over 826 trucks a day. That costs about 40% more than rail.
• More than 50% of chrome export tonnage over the past three years went through Komatipoort to the Port of Maputo on the N4.
• Border queues at Komatipoort fell to 3 kilometres from an average of 19 kilometres in 2023/24.
• Of chrome ore and concentrate exports in the first 11 months of 2025, about 51% went directly to China and 28% to African countries. Most exports recorded as going to Mozambique are ore passing through Maputo.

Transnet moved 167.9 million tonnes by rail in the year to 31 Mar 2026, up 4.9%. It has signed rail access agreements with 11 private train operating companies, the first expected to start in 2026/27 (SAnews, 11 Sep 2026). More rail capacity would take tonnes off the N4 road haul. If smelters close, the Minerals Council warns that ore now fed to ferrochrome could “potentially double trucking volumes on export routes”.

Risks and what to watch

Common questions

How much chrome does South Africa produce?

DMPR data published by the Minerals Council put 2024 chromite production at 22.9 million tonnes. The Minerals Council estimates about 23.6 million tonnes for 2025. USGS lists South Africa as the world’s leading producer, with about 23 million of the world’s 51 million tonnes in 2025.

Where are South Africa’s chrome mines?

On the Bushveld Complex, in North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. USGS reported that in 2022 Samancor Chrome operated the Western Chrome Mines in North West and the Eastern Chrome Mines in Limpopo. Glencore and Merafe operated six mines including Boshoek, Kroondal and Waterval, and Assore operated Dwarsrivier in Mpumalanga.

Is there a chrome export tax in South Africa?

Not yet, according to the latest report we read, from trade publication Shanghai Metals Market on 4 Sep 2026. It said export permits through ITAC and the export tax were approved in principle by Cabinet but not yet gazetted or enacted. Cabinet announced both in June 2025, and ITAC invited comment on the permit system in October 2025. Government documents cited by the Minerals Council put the proposed tax at 5% to 25%.

Sources

1. Minerals Council South Africa, Facts and Figures 2025 Pocketbook (launched 9 Feb 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
2. Minerals Council South Africa, Facts and Figures 2024 datasheets, DMPR data (5 Aug 2025), read 25 Sep 2026
3. USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (Feb 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
4. Stats SA, Mining: Production and sales, July 2026 (P2041) (10 Sep 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
5. USGS, 2022 Minerals Yearbook: South Africa (Dec 2025), read 25 Sep 2026
6. Impala Platinum, Mineral resource and mineral reserve statement 2015: Chromium, read 25 Sep 2026
7. Langa et al., Mineralium Deposita (2020), read 25 Sep 2026
8. Tharisa plc, annual results for the year ended 30 Sep 2025, read 25 Sep 2026
9. ITAC, control measures for chrome ore exports (Oct 2025), read 25 Sep 2026
10. Shanghai Metals Market, South Africa’s chrome ore exports in July 2026 (4 Sep 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
11. SAnews, Transnet records profit (11 Sep 2026), read 25 Sep 2026
12. Daily Maverick, High Court ruling on Mining Charter (22 Sep 2021), read 25 Sep 2026
13. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2018 Mining Charter case summary, read 25 Sep 2026