Impala Platinum confirmed today (29th September) that it has resumed operations at a shaft within its section of the Rustenburg mine in South Africa, Reuters reports.

The world's second-largest platinum producer announced last week that it was suspending work at the number eight shaft at the facility following a worker fatality.

However, Impala spokesman Bob Gilmour revealed in an interview with Reuters that the company has now given the green light for production to recommence.

Although the exact output loss from the week-long shutdown is unclear, Impala said recently that it expects to lose about 100,000 oz in the financial year to the end of June 2010.

The firm lost approximately 50,000 oz in July when a major fall-of-ground incident at its Rustenburg site killed nine workers.

In addition, Impala employees at the mine - and at its Marula facility - staged a two-week strike over a pay dispute, which is also set to reduce platinum output by 50,000 oz.

Although officials claim that the company will be able to meet its commitments with clients, some market observers have suggested that supplies will inevitably be affected.

"The potential for tightness now exists in a market regarded as being in balance by producers with signs of recovering autocatalyst demand," said Liberum Capital in a note quoted by the news provider.

Impala Platinum, which supplies roughly a quarter of the world's platinum, was first established in the mid-1960s to house Union Corporation's interests in the precious metal.

Source:

UPDATE 1-SAfrica's Implats resumes ops at mine shaft (29/09/09)

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