v3.26.1
Impairments and reversal of impairments (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Disclosure of impairment loss and reversal of impairment loss [abstract]  
Schedule of impairments
Figures in million – SA rand
Notes
2025
2024
2023
Impairment of mining assets
14
(15,825)
(9,113)
(38,492)
Impairment of right-of-use assets — mining assets
15
(16)
(60)
Impairment reversal of mining assets
14
1,924
Impairment of intangible assets
17
(86)
Impairment of goodwill
17
(8,435)
Impairment of investment in equity-accounted investee1
18.2
(64)
(423)
Impairment of loan to equity-accounted investee
18.3
(18)
Other impairment
(26)
Total impairments and reversal of impairments
(14,007)
(9,173)
(47,454)
1Mimosa's updated life-of-mine at 30 June 2025 indicated above US dollar inflationary increases in working costs and capital costs, and included a Zimbabwean
beneficiation tax which resulted in a decrease in the expected future net cash flows from Mimosa. The lower value in use led to an after tax equity-accounted
impairment of property, plant and equipment amounting to R535 million and the impairment of the investment in the equity-accounted investee of R64 million, before the
impact of deferred tax (net an impairment of R461 million) (see note 12.3) (included in SA PGM on the segment report — see note 2). The weighted average PGM (4E)
basket price, nominal discount rate and life-of-mine used in the Mimosa impairment assessment was R25,745/4Eoz, 20.67% and 8 years, respectively. The recoverable
amount at 30 June 2025 was determined as R2,208 million
The impairment of mining assets for the year ended 31 December 2025 related to the following classes of assets:
Figures in million – SA rand
US PGM
operations
Keliber
Kloof
Other
Total
Mine development, infrastructure and other
(4,230)
(6,700)
(3,470)
(28)
(14,428)
Land, mineral rights and rehabilitation
(1,104)
(293)
(1,397)
Right-of-use assets
(16)
(16)
Total impairment
(4,230)
(7,804)
(3,779)
(28)
(15,841)
The impairment reversals of mining assets for the year ended 31 December 2025 related to the following classes of assets:
Figures in million – SA rand
Beatrix
Driefontein
Burnstone
Total
Mine development, infrastructure and other
418
152
1,307
1,877
Land, mineral rights and rehabilitation
31
16
47
Total impairment reversals
449
168
1,307
1,924
The impairment of mining assets for the year ended 31 December 2024 related to the following classes of assets:
Figures in million – SA rand
US PGM
operations
Other
Total
Mine development, infrastructure and other
(8,825)
(288)
(9,113)
Right-of-use assets
(60)
(60)
Total impairment
(8,825)
(348)
(9,173)
The impairment of mining assets and goodwill for the year ended 31 December 2023 related to the following classes of assets:
Figures in million – SA rand
US PGM
operations1
Sandouville
nickel
refinery2
Century
retreatment
operation3
Burnstone4
Kloof5
Other1
Total
Mine development, infrastructure and other
(10,222)
(1,430)
(2,434)
(1,115)
(1,616)
(27)
(16,844)
Land, mineral rights and rehabilitation
(20,326)
(67)
(843)
(21,236)
Exploration and evaluation assets
(412)
(412)
Intangible assets
(86)
(86)
Goodwill
(8,352)
(23)
(60)
(8,435)
Total impairment
(38,900)
(1,606)
(3,689)
(1,115)
(1,616)
(87)
(47,013)
1Various operational constraints, as previously reported, in the ramp-up of the Blitz project, coupled with higher than inflation increases in operating costs and a decrease
in medium to long-term forecast palladium prices, resulted in a decrease in the expected future net cash flows from the US PGM operation. The higher weighted average
cost of capital, driven by a higher beta, in combination with the aforementioned factors, contributed to the reduced value in use at 31 December 2023, which led to an
impairment of property, plant and equipment and goodwill amounting to R38,900 million. In addition, goodwill allocated to the US PGM operation amounting to
R60 million pertaining to the acquisition of SFA (Oxford) was impaired
2An onerous supply contract (see note 29.2), higher fixed and variable costs, significantly reduced expected sustainable production volumes and higher than initially
expected sustaining capital expenditure, resulted in the decrease in expected future net cash flows from the Sandouville nickel refinery. This, together with lower nickel
prices, reduced the value in use at 31 December 2023 and led to an impairment of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets and goodwill amounting to
R1,606 million
3Lower than expected production volumes, above inflationary increases in operating costs, higher sustaining capital, the approaching end of life-of-mine and the
diminishing window of opportunity to develop and operate the expansion projects concurrent with the ongoing operation, resulted in a decrease in the expected future
net cash flows from the Century zinc retreatment operation. The lower value in use at 31 December 2023 led to an impairment of property, plant and equipment
amounting to R3,689 million
4Consistent with the requirements of the Group’s capital allocation framework, the Burnstone project (included in the SA Gold corporate and reconciling items reportable
segment) was delayed and was expected to ramp-up again during 2025. The additional costs during the delay, the deferral of mine ramp-up and higher weighted
average cost of capital due to an increase in the beta, risk free rate and cost of debt, resulted in a decrease in the expected future net cash flows from Burnstone. The
lower value in use at 31 December 2023 led to an impairment of property, plant and equipment amounting to R1,115 million
5Operational constraints, including seismicity and cooling, at the Kloof 4 shaft, compounded by the shaft incident during H2 2023 that damaged the shaft infrastructure,
resulted in a severe deterioration in productivity that negatively impacted the financial viability of the Kloof 4 shaft. Consequently, during 2023, following a consultative
process, the Group announced the closure of Kloof 4 shaft, which led to the specific impairment of property, plant and equipment amounting to R1,616 million
Assumptions used in impairment assessment The assumptions applied in the 30 June 2025 and 31 December 2025 recoverable amount calculations for each of the CGU impacted by
the impairments are set out below:
30 June 2025
31 December 2025
US PGM
operations
Keliber
Kloof
Beatrix
Driefontein
Burnstone
Keliber
Average PGM (2E) basket price1
US$/2Eoz
1,118
Average lithium hydroxide price1
US$/t
17,972
17,475
Average gold price1
R/kg
2,295,754
1,983,927
1,856,994
1,670,512
Inflation rate2
%
2.1
2.0
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
2.0
Nominal discount rate3
%
10.56
11.19
11.68
12.76
13.52
15.22
10.14
Life-of-mine4,5
years
67
20
1
6
11
23
20
Recoverable amount6
R' million
9,361
9,359
9,341
20,581
13,039
8,925
1The weighted average commodity prices and exchange rate were derived by considering various bank and commodity broker consensus forecasts
2The inflation rate is based on the expected forecast inflation rate for the geographic region which most affects the CGU's cash flows
3The nominal discount rate is calculated as the weighted average cost of capital of the respective CGUs
4Periods longer than five years are considered appropriate based on the nature of the operations since a formally approved life-of-mine plan is used to determine cash
flows over the life of each mine based on the available reserves
5  In respect of Keliber, if the life-of-mine is not extended meaningfully, it is estimated that the concentrator and refinery will continue with external purchases of spodumene
concentrate. A minimum of 6 years post life-of-mine were assumed for external purchase of spodumene concentrate
6  The recoverable amount (fair value less cost of disposal) was estimated using discounted cash flows. The fair value measurement was categorised as a Level 3 fair value
based on the inputs in the valuation technique used
The assumptions applied in the 30 June 2024 and 31 December 2024 value in use impairment calculation as well as the recoverable
amount for each of the CGU impacted by the impairments are set out below:
US PGM operations
30 June 2024
31 Dec 2024
Weighted average PGM (2E) basket price1
US$/2Eoz
1,206
1,120
Inflation rate2
%
2.5
2.1
Nominal discount rate3
%
11.5
13.0
Life-of-mine4
years
45.5
35
Recoverable amount
R' million
15,224
13,682
1The weighted average commodity prices and exchange rate were derived by considering various bank and commodity broker consensus forecasts
2The inflation rate is based on the expected forecast inflation rate for the geographic region which most affects the CGU's cash flows
3The nominal discount rate is calculated as the weighted average cost of capital of the respective CGUs
4Periods longer than five years are considered appropriate based on the nature of the operations since a formally approved life-of-mine plan is used to determine cash
flows over the life of each mine based on the available reserves
The assumptions applied in the 31 December 2023 value in use impairment calculation as well as the recoverable amount for each of the
CGU impacted by the impairments are set out below:
US PGM
operations
Sandouville
nickel refinery
Century zinc
retreatment
operation
Burnstone
Weighted average PGM (2E) basket price1
US$/2Eoz
1,281
Weighted average nickel price1
US$/lbs
8.9
Weighted average cobalt price1
US$/lbs
15.8
Weighted average zinc price1
A$/t
3,873
Weighted average gold price1
R/kg
1,012,625
Inflation rate2
%
2.5
1.6
2.9
6.0
Nominal discount rate3
%
12.0
7.4
9.3
18.9
Life-of-mine4 (life-of-refinery)
years
46
23
4
25
Recoverable amount
R' million
22,246
3,799
1The weighted average commodity prices and exchange rate were derived by considering various bank and commodity broker consensus forecasts
2The inflation rate is based on the expected forecast inflation rate for the geographic region which most affects the CGU's cash flows
3The nominal discount rate is calculated as the weighted average cost of capital of the respective CGUs
4Periods longer than five years are considered appropriate based on the nature of the operations since a formally approved life-of-mine plan is used to determine cash
flows over the life of each mine based on the available reserves