North American Palladium (NAP) has announced a jump in production during 2006, with the final quarter of the year proving particularly strong.

Total palladium production at its Lac des Iles mine increased by 34 per cent during 2006 compared to the previous year, with 237,338 ounces of palladium mined during the past 12 months. Average head grade was also up, from 1.66 g/mt palladium in 2005 to 2.18 g/mt palladium last year.

During the final quarter of 2006, NAP's palladium output almost doubled compared to the same period in 2005, increasing to 73,242 ounces of palladium.

Production of byproduct metals at Lac des Iles also increased, with an output of 6,512 ounces of platinum during the fourth quarter of 2006, compared to 3,761 ounces during the same period in 2005.

Jim Excell, President and Chief Executive of NAP, welcomed the results and added that the coming 12 months are looking promising for the firm.

He concluded: "The underground mine performance continues to be outstanding and our growth projects are progressing as planned. Combined with the improvement in production, 2007 is shaping up to be an exciting year for North American Palladium."

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