The Helena Chrome Mine is wholly owned by Xstrata, and lays to the south of Xstrata’s Thorncliffe Chrome Mine on the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex.

Mining the MG1 orebody, the mine consists of a four barrel decline shaft system sunk on reef. The shaft system will produce 100 000 tons per month using a mechanised bord-and-pillar mining method. Ore will be transported to the Helena Plant by means of overland conveyors.

The initial development of the Helena shaft portal commenced in November 2004.

Shaft sinking of the four barrels continued, which allowed the first stoping from Helena shaft in early 2005. The mine continues to ramp up to steady state production of 100 000 tons per month.