JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – TSX-, Aim- and JSE-listed junior miner Eastern Platinum’s (Eastplats’) Crocodile River Mine (CRM), in South Africa’s North West province, has recorded a quarterly production record of 34 000 platinum-group metal (PGM) ounces, in the fourth quarter of 2009.

This record output in the three months ended December 31, represented a 13% increase over third-quarter output and was 17% higher than output for the fourth quarter of 2008.

The total production for the 2009 financial year amounted to 130 338 PGM ounces, an 11% increase on the 117 909 PGM ounces produced the year before.

“After a very disruptive third quarter, we recovered extremely well to achieve a record quarterly production in the fourth quarter. The quick production ramp-up reflects the extensive on-and off-reef development carried out during the past 12 months, despite adverse market conditions,” CEO Ian Rozier said in a statement on Thursday.

Eastplats planned to maintain development at current levels to sustain the eighteen-month mining reserve that had been built up at CRM over the past two years.

“We look forward to increasing production from the mine during 2010, with further production increases coming from Crocette, which comes on stream later in the year," Rozier added.

The junior miner announced earlier this week that it had restarted the mine development of the Crocette section of CRM, which had been suspended in 2008, as PGM prices had now improved.

The Crocette section is expected to deliver 40 000 t/m of ore at full output, which would result in about 50 000 oz/y, enabling CRM to reach a production target of 200 000 oz/y.

Eastplats would release its results for the 2009 financial year on March 31.