JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South African miner Impala Platinum (Implats) increased its refined platinum output by 2% to 895 000 oz for the six months ended December 31, 2009.

The marginal increase in output was achieved despite “one of the most difficult [periods] in the company’s history”, with safety-related stoppages having seriously impacted on output at its 14 Shaft, as well as industrial action affecting its overall production.

However, the company was satisfied with the progress made in terms of dealing with development issues at its Rustenburg operations, as well as with the successful commissioning of expansion projects at the Zimplats operation.

Implats on Thursday noted that its safety performance had been “poor”, with fourteen fatalities at its Rustenburg operation, nine of which had occurred in a single fall-of-ground incident at its 14 Shaft.

Implats had lost 83 000 oz of production at its flagship operation, with the fall-of-ground incident and two weeks of strike action by employees over wages, leading to a 16% decline in tons milled.

This resulted in a drop in refined platinum production to 432 400 oz for the six months.

Meanwhile, production volumes at Impala Refining Services increased by 27% to 462 500 oz.

Platinum-in-concentrate production at Marula increased to 37 900 oz, as a result of a 4% increase in the tons milled to 816 000.

Platinum-in-concentrate production at the Two Rivers mine rose 24% to 72 300 oz, while output at the Mimosa mine increased by 16% to 51 100 oz of platinum-in-concentrate.

The phase-one expansion at Zimplats had reached full production during the six months, with platinum-in-matte output up 74% to 81 600 oz.

Meanwhile, Implats’ net profit for the six months fell 76% to R1,3-billion, compared with R5,3-billion the year before, while revenues dropped by 31% to R11,1-billion, compared with revenues of R16,2-billion the year before.

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