The Crocodile River Mine is located on the western limb of the Bushveld Complex, near the town of Brits in South Africa's North West Province.  Initially established in 1987, Crocodile River Mine was heralded as one of the most modern in South Africa at the time. The operation was acquired by Rand Mines Limited. Implats then acquired an interest of 38% and the contract to manage the mine in 1991, but a dramatic decline in metal prices forced the mine's closure later that year.

In 1998 Implats increased its stake in Barplats to 83% and, following an intensive exploration programme, the mine was re-opened in February 2000. The concentrator was refurbished at the same time.  The mine was operated successfully as an open pit mine, but a combination of the rising Rand exchange rate and the contractors' inability to mine the operation efficiently using highly mechanized mining methods underground resulted in the mine being placed on care and maintenance in December 2003. The mine was re-opened in 2004 and has since undergone extensive development and refurbishment of surface facilities.

The operation comprises four mining blocks, Maroelabult in the east, Zandfontein in the centre, the Crocette deposits in the west, and the Kareespruit section between Maroelabult and Zandfontein.

Primary access at the Maroelabult section consists of two declines, one for men and material and one equipped with a conveyor belt for rock transport from underground. Steady-state production of 40,000 tonnes a month was achieved in 2007.

The Zandfontein section is equipped with a vertical shaft and primary access consisting of four separate decline roadways from surface. Production is currently being ramped up to 120,000 tonnes a month with a steady-state production schedule for December 2008 of 120,000 tonnes a month. A new conveyor system is in place, extensive underground development is ongoing, and the vertical shaft is being refurbished.

The Crocette section is currently under development. The drilling programme began in June 2006 and production is scheduled to begin in late-2007/early 2008 with anticipated steady-state production of 40,000 tonnes a month.

A tailings retreatment plant was commissioned in 2007 and construction of a chrome recovery plant commenced in mid-2007.

The UG2 Reef is mined at Crocodile River. The UG2 is a distinct chromitite layer, approximately 140 centimetres thick at the mine. The vertical separation between the Merensky Reef and the UG2 is around 225 m at Crocodile River.

The reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves is in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the South African Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (The SAMREC Code). The Mineral Resources grade and tonnages are stated in-situ and the Ore Reserves are stated as delivered grade and tonnages.

During financial year 2005, significant effort was made to gain a better understanding of the geological structure of the Crocodile River Mine orebody. A new structural interpretation was developed by Applied Geology Services CC based on previous regional mapping and lineament interpretation, re-interpretation of regional magnetic surveys, an updated borehole database, and underground mapping. The resulting model is considered conservative but robust and consistent with all confirmed data.

This new estimate of short- and medium-term resources focused on only part of the previously defined resource base as shown in the following figures:

Mineral Resources - UG2 Reef

It should be noted that exploration and evaluation targets that are not included in the inferred resource category are substantial and drilling will upgrade these systematically to a resource category.