Mining depths are becoming an increasingly important issue in the platinum sector, with costs rising as mines reach new depths.

Resource depth is now one of the most important issues studied by investors and the increasing depths of some platinum mines are now raising concerns.

Depth causes a problem in platinum mining since it means the mines are more expensive to develop and operate.

However a number of platinum companies are still digging deeper and many have shown they are not concerned about developing mines that are a thousand metres or more below the surface.

Among the companies planning deep mining is junior miner Southern African Resources (SAR), which is soon set to change its name to African Platinum (Afplats). The company claims some of the mining at its Leeuwkop farm site will reach 1,050 metres below the surface.

"Although the project is deeper than the average mining depth of most current platinum-producing projects, the major expansions taking place on the western limb are all getting deeper," SAR CEO, Roy Pitchford, explained to Mining Weekly.

According to Mr Pitchford, Impala Platinum has also recently "given the go-ahead" for mining that has "an ultimate depth of 1,800 metres".

Northam Platinum is the world's deepest platinum mine and has a lowest depth of 2,000 metres.