A draft report on proposals to increase capacity at the Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats) refinery in Springs (on the East Rand) has been completed.

Two operations currently comprise the refinery: the Base Metals Refinery (BMR) and the Enhanced Platinum Metals Refinery (EPMR).

In a R200 million scheme, Implats intends to increase capacity at the EPMR from 1.6 million ounces to 2.5 million ounces per year by 2004 or early 2005.

The increase will accommodate larger amounts of material from Implants' own mines, as well as from other producers who send their extracted materials to the plant for refining.

The plans for the refinery are part of a five-year capital plan to intensify mining and other business operations. A total of 1.85 million ounces of platinum per year are expected to be produced by July 2004, with further increases mentioned as a possibility by the report.

The draft scooping report on proposals for the refinery are available for public comment until the 4th of August, after which period it will be finalised and sent for consideration by the Gauteng Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs (GDACEL).