South African mining firm Gold Fields has reiterated its commitment to the platinum industry and insisted it is not worried that such a move may risk losing the 'gold premium' which its shares attract.

The comments follow the revelation by the group that it was conducting a feasibility study at its Arctic Platinum project in Finland, and was considering introducing a beneficiation partner to act as a minority shareholder in the project.

Earlier this year Gold Fields bought out its partner in the project, Outukompu, retaining the full output of the pgm rich project.

Gold Fields spokesman Willie Jacobsz told Mineweb the company long ago declared its interest in the pgm sector, adding that the firm was keen not to restrict itself.

He said it was too early to tell if the group's platinum interests would be spun off into a separate entity, as pgm activities had not yet begun in earnest.

'The platinum strategy has been in place for five years - we don't have a platinum mine yet, but its well known that its our strategy to expand into platinum,' Jacobsz concluded.