Swedish mining equipment manufacturer Epiroc has won a major underground fleet order from Sibanye-Stillwater for its Siphumelele platinum mine in South Africa, where mechanisation is being expanded to improve extraction efficiency and support the operation’s long-term viability. The equipment package comprises LHD 5.5 LP low-profile loaders, UV42 utility vehicles and interchangeable UV42 cassettes. Deliveries are scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2026. The financial value of the contract has not been disclosed. The order forms part of a broader modernisation programme at the Siphumelele shaft within Sibanye-Stillwater’s Rustenburg operations. The initiative focuses on increasing mechanisation in low-profile underground workings, raising productivity and improving recovery from existing ore reserves.
Low-profile equipment supports underground mechanisation
The new fleet is intended to help Sibanye-Stillwater extract greater value from its established platinum-group metals operation rather than support the development of a new mine. Increasing mechanisation in low-profile workings is expected to support more consistent mining performance and equipment utilisation while reducing reliance on labour-intensive extraction methods. The results will depend on underground mine geometry, maintenance performance and the successful adaptation of the workforce to the new equipment. For Sibanye-Stillwater, the investment is part of an effort to improve the operating economics of Siphumelele and extend its productive life through more efficient extraction of existing reserves.
Epiroc builds on AARD Mining Equipment acquisition
The contract also demonstrates the commercial application of Epiroc’s 2023 acquisition of AARD Mining Equipment, which expanded the Swedish group’s portfolio of specialised low-profile machinery for narrow underground mining environments.
The Siphumelele order adds to the deployment of this equipment range in South Africa’s platinum sector, where underground operating conditions require machinery designed for restricted working heights. The contract also reflects demand for equipment supporting the modernisation of existing mines, alongside machinery supplied for new mining projects.
Equipment deployment to create aftermarket opportunities
Mining companies are increasingly procuring equipment packages that combine machinery with maintenance, training and financing support as they seek to improve production from established operations. At Siphumelele, the performance of the new fleet will be assessed against its ability to increase productivity, support more efficient extraction and justify the additional capital expenditure through an extended operating life. For Epiroc, the order expands its installed equipment base in South African underground mining and provides scope for aftermarket business once the machines enter service.
