South Africa (133,000 kg)

The world leader in platinum mining is South Africa, where its annual output reaches 133 thousand kg.It should be noted that the production of platinum in South Africa is 2.5 times higher than in other countries. There are 3 platinum-bearing regions in South Africa: Merensky Reef, Upper Group 2 Reef (UG2) and Platreef. The first field was launched in 1925 and operated until the end of the 20th century. The UG2 reef was discovered in the 1970s and has been the main source of platinum in South Africa ever since. As for the Platreef, it was hardly developed until 1993. Currently, this deposit is considered the third largest platinum mine in the country.

Russia (23,000 kg)

Second place in this ranking is occupied by Russia, where the annual production of platinum is 23 thousand kg. The first platinum deposit was discovered in 1823 in the Urals and has been actively developed there ever since. The decline in platinum mining began in the 1920s. However, in 1935 in Siberia, on the Taimyr Peninsula, new platinum-containing and copper-nickel deposits were discovered. It should be noted that this area is key for Russian platinum reserves.

Zimbabwe (14,900 kg)

The honorable third place among the largest producers of platinum goes to Zimbabwe. There are 3 main platinum mines in the country. They are located in a geological structure that runs through the center of Zimbabwe. The oldest of them, the Mimosa mine, was launched in the 1920s. The development of the second deposit, the Zimplants mine, takes place in the early 1990s. A third platinum mine, Unki, was commissioned in 2010.

Canada (12,600 kg)

The fourth position among the world's leading producers of platinum is occupied by Canada with an annual production of this metal of 12,600 kg. The first deposits of platinum in Canada were discovered in 1888 in the province of Ontario. Today, the lion's share of Canada's platinum production comes from the Sudbury Basin, located in Central Ontario. The rest comes from the Raglan nickel mine located in Manitoba. The country also receives a significant amount of platinum from the Lac des Iles Mine in Western Ontario.

USA (3,890 kg)

The United States rounds out the top 5 platinum mining countries. Despite the fact that only one mining company, Stillwater Mining, is mainly engaged in the development of platinum deposits in America, experts estimate that the United States is the fifth largest producer of platinum in the world. Currently, Stillwater Mining operates two mines for the extraction of this metal: Stillwater and East Boulder. Both are located in the state of Montana and provide the main increase in platinum production in the country.