US palladium and platinum producer Stillwater Mining has announced it has reached a tentative labour agreement with the United Steelworkers and its East Boulder unit.

The present labour agreement has now been extended to allow members to review and approve the latest deal.

According to representatives from the union and the mining firm, the agreement will stay in effect until midday on July 9th this year.

Stillwater is the only US producer of palladium and platinum and is the largest primary producer of pgms outside of Russia and South Africa.

The East Boulder mine is situated in Montana and it produced 156,000 ounces of palladium and platinum in 2003.