Critical Minerals in AGOA: Platinum-Group Metals

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a key global producer of critical minerals that are critical to the energy transition, environmental protection, and national security. This includes platinum-group metals (PGMs), which are used in applications such as air pollution control, semiconductors, and fuel cells. This report assesses the current state of PGM production in the subset of SSA countries that are eligible for African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits in 2024.

• Mine production: South Africa is the largest global producer of PGMs, accounting for more than two-thirds of mine production for four of the five PGMs (in the most recent year for which data were available) classified as critical minerals by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). For two of these PGMs, iridium and ruthenium, South Africa accounted for more than 90% of production. South African production has, however, declined over the last five years.
• Refinery production: South Africa accounts for a significant share of global refinery production, though its share of global refinery production is smaller than its share of global mine production.
• PGM exports: South Africa’s largest reported export destinations for PGMs and downstream products are Europe, Japan, and the United States. China is not one of the largest export destinations according to South Africa’s export data but, according to Chinese import data, is one of the largest importers of PGMs from South Africa.
• Tariff rates: The United States does not have tariffs on imports of PGMs or key downstream products like catalytic converters.