Improved fleet productivity resulted in a 2% quarter-on-quarter increase in ore mined by platinum group metals miner Zimplats in its third fiscal quarter, ended March 31.
The tonnage milled, however, decreased by 2%, in line with a 2% decrease in the number of operating days from 92 in the previous quarter to 90 in the quarter under review.
The platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold (4E) head grade remained largely unchanged at 3.23 g/t, with overall 4E metal production in final product having increased by 2% from the previous quarter, in line with the increase in the volume of concentrates smelted.
The total operating cash costs for the quarter increased 6% quarter-on-quarter to $95.3-million, while the operating cash cost per platinum ounce increased 4% quarter-on-quarter to just over $1.3-million, mainly owing to the increase in operating costs, which were partly offset by the 1% increase in production volumes.
A total of $1.9-million was spent on the surface drilling of 23427 m during the nine months to March 31, while sample assay analysis and geophysics were completed ahead of mining for all the portals.