Implats moves into hydrogen

Impala Platinum develops a hydrogen-powered forklift truck and refuelling station in the latest step to stimulate demand for platinum.

Johannesburg - Impala Platinum Holdings, the world’s second-biggest producer of the metal, developed a hydrogen-powered forklift truck and refuelling station in the latest step to stimulate demand for platinum.

The prototype is a "critical step" in creating a commercially viable hydrogen fuel-cell industry, Impala’s CEO Terence Goodlace said Thursday in a presentation in Springs, east of Johannesburg.

Hydrogen fuel cells, which contain platinum, can generate power with only heat and water as waste products.

Along with fellow platinum producers, Impala is attempting to stimulate demand for the precious metal beyond catalytic converters, which reduce harmful emissions in cars, and jewellry.

Slowing industrial demand and increased recycling of the metal have pushed the price of platinum to less than half its peak in 2008.

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“Catalytic converters have been instrumental in reducing harmful gases from combustion vehicles,” Goodlace said. “In the longer term fuel-cell vehicles offer the potential to match these instruments.”

Creating new uses for platinum is necessary to maintain the 450 000 jobs supported by mining the metal, Goodlace said. Southern Africa is home to 80 percent of the world’s platinum, he said.

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