JSE-listed Impala Platinum (Implats) says it faced several operational challenges in the six months ended December 31.
These included extended safety stoppages, intermittent industrial action and power supply interruptions, which impacted on production.
The group expects to report a 4% year-on-year decrease in gross concentrate volumes to 1.62-million ounces of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium and gold (6E) for the six months.
Production from managed operations declined to 1.16-million ounces of 6E and joint venture volumes to 271 000 oz.
Group refined production of 1.62-million ounces of 6E declined by 5% from the comparative period.
Implats warns that production for the remainder of the financial year will be impacted on by a maintenance period at the Rustenburg furnaces, which would have initially only been a partial rebuild; however, after inspection, it was determined that a full rebuild was necessary, thereby extending the maintenance period to four months.
Meanwhile, the company expects its basic earnings for the six months under review to decrease by between 39% and 50% year-on-year, to between R12.5-billion and R15.3-billion, and basic earnings a share by between 42% and 53% year-on-year, to between R15.29 and R18.72.
Implats will publish its interim results on March 1.