Xstrata will spend $26 million on exploration at its Beestkraal properties near Rustenburg. According to MiningWeekly, the site is potentially a 100-million ounce resource. By developing an underground mine and a concentrator expansion, the firm expects to double its production at the Elandsfontein mine.

Platmin this month announced that the Mphahlele project is being fast tracked toward completing a definitive feasibility study during the third quarter of the year. Platmin's board approved the fast track after receiving notification from the Department of Minerals and Energy that mining rights had been approved. It will move the firm towards its goal of producing in excess of a combined 500,000 oz of platinum group metals.

Platinum Group Metals (PTM) announced plans to take a different approach to the rates of advance in the declines at its Western Bushveld Joint Venture platinum project. Michael Jones, president of the company, told Mining Weekly that it would adopt a "North American" approach. "We think we can really change this design quite a bit by accessing more North American rates of advance in declines and using some of the experience of our people in getting declines in from surface faster," Mr Jones said.

Meanwhile, Platinum Australia awarded the lead engineer contract for the updating of its Panton platinum group metal project to GR Engineering Services. The bankable feasibility study will focus on the development of an initial open pit operation that will treat 350,000 tonnes per year with the aim of producing 50,000 oz of pgms each year.

Amseco Exploration announced the presence of platinum-palladium-rhodium mineralisation at its Thetford Mines. Exploration work had been undertaken during the early season of 2008 and high levels of pge were found.

Jubilee released its interim results in March and indicated a "productive" sixth month period of platinum exploration, particularly advancing its flagship Tjate project. In six months ended December 31st, the firm successfully completed fundraising and intensified its drilling programme at the site where it plans to build a 330,000 oz a year mine, Mining Weekly reported.

Starfield Resources has announced results of check assays and rhodium assays of its 2007 diamond drilling program at Ferguson Lake. About 40 of the higher grade platinum and palladium assay samples from the 2007 drilling program were sent to Activation Laboratories for assessment. According to Andre Douchane, President of Starfield, the indications of rhodium at Ferguson Lake are "significant" due to the high price of rhodium.

Platinum Group Metals announced the results of an updated calculation of the mineral resources at the War Springs Platinum Project, of which it owns 70 per cent. The firm was moved to re-evaluate the site after increased prices of precious metals. The results of the updated calculation indicate that an Inferred Resource of 47.0 Mt at an average grade of 1.11 g/t 2PGE with a metal content of 1.7 million ounces.

MetalCorp has announced the discovery of additional platinum group metals and base metal mineralisation on the North Rock Property. The phase three drill programme revealed 0.3 g/t of platinum at one hole in the Beaver Pond Zone. "Drilling has shown remarkable consistency of Platinum Group Metal mineralization over an extensive area on the North Rock property," said Aubrey Eveleigh, Vice-President Exploration.

Wesizwe Platinum has given the go ahead for a R5.6 billion 350,000 oz platinum group elements mine project which could take nearly five years to build. Mike Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of the firm described the move as a "significant milestone" and believed the investment would transform the firm into a "fully fledged platinum producer".

Platinum Group Metals announced that a feasibility study had been released by Wesizwe Platinum that covers the Project 2 area that is 50 per cent owned by the Western Bushveld Joint Venture. The results of the study are yet to be analysed by Platinum Group Metals although their last estimate in on April 30th last year indicated that there was 8.5 million ounces of platinum in the area.

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