Strike to begin at Sibanye-Stillwater’s US operations
A walkout by about 750 workers threatens output at the Stillwater East mine and Columbus processing facilities in Montana.
Sibanye-Stillwater, a major player in the platinum group metals sector, is set to face a strike at its US operations starting Thursday morning. The strike at the Stillwater East mine and Columbus metallurgical complex in Montana is the result of over four months of unsuccessful contract negotiations. United Steelworkers have given notice to affected workers, with approximately 750 employees at the mine and Columbus facilities potentially impacted.
Sibanye-Stillwater has been cooperating with the union to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, emphasizing their commitment to recognizing employees' interests while implementing necessary operational changes for the long-term sustainability of the US platinum group metals (PMG) operations. The mines have produced around 137,930 ounces of PMG during the six months ended June 30, 2026, with the Stillwater East mine accounting for about 55%.
The decision to strike was reportedly due to the company's refusal to bargain in good faith and their premature declaration of impasse. The eventual production impact of the strike will depend on various factors, including its duration and the time required to restart the affected operations.
Written by urgent.news from Mining.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
