Sibanye-Stillwater's Columbus, Montana, Metallurgical Complex Faces Operational Delays Due to Cyberattack
Sibanye-Stillwater, a leading global mining and metals processing group, experienced a cyberattack on July 8, 2024, affecting its IT systems globally. The attack, acknowledged on July 11, led to ongoing operational delays at the Columbus metallurgical complex in Montana, impacting the smelting of underground concentrate and recycling of spent autocatalysts. As of July 25, production at the complex has not resumed. The RansomHouse ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging they exfiltrated 1.2 TB of data. While the mining company stated only payroll was impacted, a United Steelworkers union official indicated that smelter operations were affected due to non-functional automated systems. Despite these disruptions, the company has primarily restored its systems, implemented enhanced IT security measures, and continued mining and extraction operations with minimal global disruption. The attack's investigation is ongoing, and the company expects to resume full operations at the Columbus complex soon. Sibanye-Stillwater has delayed the publication of its H1 2024 financial results to September 12, 2024. CEO Neal Froneman emphasized the company's commitment to employee safety and operational integrity during the remediation process.