Impala Platinum (Implats) has sold a 15 per cent stake in the Marula Platinum mine as part of an economic empowerment deal.

Tubatse Platinum and the Marula Community Trust will each take a 7.5 per cent equity stake in Marula Platinum from July 1st.

Implats said it would provide a full guarantee for the Marula Community Trust debt and would also guarantee Tubatse Platinum's debt until December 2014.

The mine produced 29,800 ounces of platinum ion concentrate in the 2005 financial year. A full production of 140,000 is expected by 2009.

Implats acquired Marula Platinum as part of its takeover of the Toronto-listed firm Platexo.

Danny Msiza, chairman of Tubatse Platinum, said: "We appreciate Implats' initiative in including local community and identifiable business representation in the mining operation.

"This serves to advance economic independence and self sufficiency of marginalised indigenous communities thus creating opportunities for wealth creation and sharing."

Howard Maimela, one of the trustees of the Marula Community Trust, added that the deal would "assist the community in identifying and acting on initiatives for the economic and social development of the community at large".

Ÿ Adfero Ltd