JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South African platinum producer Impala Platinum (Implats) warned on Friday that its headline earnings for the 2009 financial year could fall by between 50% and 52%, on the back of a significant decrease in metal prices during the year.

The world’s second-largest platinum-miner said it expected report headline earnings of between R9,80 a share and R10,20 a share, compared with the R20,65 recorded at the end of 2008.

Basic earnings per share were also expected to be between R9,80 and R10,20. This was lower than the previous comparable period, which recorded R29,10, which included the profit on disposal of Implats’ shareholdings of 8,6% in Aquarius Platinum and 20% in Aquarius Platinum South Africa.

Bigger rival Anglo Platinum posted a 95% drop in first-half earnings.

Implats would release its financial results on August 27.

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