Marikana Platinum Mine: Owner, History & Sibanye-Stillwater

Company: Marikana

Country: South Africa

Sector: Mining

CEO: Richard Stewart (CEO of parent company Sibanye-Stillwater)

Website: https://www.sibanyestillwater.com/

Careers Page: Not publicly listed

LinkedIn: Not publicly listed

Email: Not publicly listed

Headquarters: Rustenburg, North West Province, South Africa (operation of Sibanye-Stillwater, HQ Johannesburg)

Founded: Not publicly listed

Valuation/Revenue: $1,833m revenue attributed to Marikana operations (African Business Top 250, rank 90)

Marikana is not an independently governed company but a major platinum group metals (PGM) mining operation near Rustenburg in South Africa’s North West province, owned and operated by Sibanye-Stillwater. It is best known internationally as the site of the August 2012 Marikana massacre, in which 34 striking mineworkers were killed by police, a watershed event in South African labour relations that continues to shape the site’s public identity today.

Is “Marikana” Actually a Company?

Not in the conventional sense. Unlike the other profiles in this dataset, Marikana refers to a mining operation and the surrounding town, not a standalone corporate entity with its own board, CEO, website or careers portal. The operation appears in industry revenue rankings because of its scale as a distinct reporting segment within its owner’s portfolio, but legally and operationally it functions as part of Sibanye-Stillwater, a multinational mining and metals processing group. Readers researching “Marikana” as a company should generally be looking for Sibanye-Stillwater instead.

What Happens at Marikana?

The Marikana operation comprises multiple shafts and processing facilities extracting platinum, palladium and associated PGMs from the Bushveld Complex, described by industry sources as the world’s richest repository of platinum group elements. The mines were originally developed and operated by Lonmin plc, one of the world’s largest platinum producers, before Sibanye-Stillwater acquired Lonmin in June 2019 and absorbed the Marikana operations into its broader PGM portfolio. Sibanye-Stillwater has since been developing several adjoining primary mining projects at the site using mechanised mining methods targeting the Upper Group Two (UG2) ore reef.

How Big Is the Marikana Operation?

African Business’s Top 250 ranking attributed roughly $1.83 billion in revenue to Marikana, placing it 90th among Africa’s largest companies by revenue — a figure that reflects the scale of the operation as a segment of Sibanye-Stillwater’s business rather than a separately audited standalone company.

Who Owns Marikana?

Marikana is owned by Sibanye-Stillwater, a JSE- and NYSE-listed multinational mining and metals processing group with no single controlling shareholder. Sibanye-Stillwater acquired the operation through its 2019 takeover of Lonmin plc, the operation’s previous owner.

Who Runs Sibanye-Stillwater, Marikana’s Owner?

As of 2026, Dr Richard Stewart serves as Chief Executive Officer of Sibanye-Stillwater, having taken over the role from long-serving CEO Neal Froneman, who led the company (originally as Sibanye Gold) from its 2012 unbundling from Gold Fields through its transformation into a diversified PGM and gold producer via acquisitions including Lonmin and Stillwater Mining.

What Has Marikana Been in the News For Recently?

Marikana’s public profile remains heavily shaped by the legacy of the August 2012 massacre, which continues to feature in South African labour relations, political and commemorative coverage each anniversary. Operationally, Sibanye-Stillwater’s CEO has described the company’s South African PGM assets — including Marikana — as the portfolio he would choose “without a doubt” if given a choice among the company’s global operations, signalling continued strategic commitment to the site despite the industry-wide pressure PGM producers have faced from lower metal prices in recent years.

How Does Marikana Compare to Other PGM Operations?

As part of Sibanye-Stillwater, Marikana sits alongside major South African PGM competitors including Northam Platinum, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum, all of which mine the same Bushveld Complex geology. Its scale and multi-shaft configuration make it one of the largest single PGM mining complexes in South Africa.

Why Does Marikana Still Matter So Much to South Africa?

Beyond its mineral output, Marikana occupies an outsized place in South African public memory because of the August 2012 massacre, in which police opened fire on striking mineworkers demanding higher wages, killing 34 people in the deadliest use of lethal force by South African security forces since the end of apartheid. The event triggered a judicial commission of inquiry, reshaped debates over mine worker pay and living conditions across the platinum belt, and continues to inform how communities, labour unions and investors evaluate mining companies’ social conduct in the Rustenburg area — meaning any serious profile of the operation has to acknowledge that history alongside its purely commercial output figures.

Links

Website: https://www.sibanyestillwater.com/ (parent company; Marikana has no separate corporate website)
Careers Page: Not found
LinkedIn: Not found
Email: Not publicly listed

FAQ

Is Marikana a real company?
No — Marikana is a mining operation and town, not an independently incorporated company. It is owned and operated by Sibanye-Stillwater.

Who owns the Marikana mine?
Sibanye-Stillwater, which acquired it through its 2019 takeover of Lonmin plc.

Who is the CEO overseeing Marikana?
Dr Richard Stewart, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater, the operation’s parent company.

What is Marikana known for?
It is internationally known both as a major platinum-producing complex in South Africa’s Bushveld Complex and as the site of the August 2012 Marikana massacre, in which 34 striking miners were killed.

Is Marikana publicly traded?
Not separately — its parent, Sibanye-Stillwater, is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE: SSW) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: SBSW).

Where is Marikana located?
Near Rustenburg, in South Africa’s North West province.