Zimbabwe Platinum Mines has warned of a decline in platinum groups metals sales this year if problems with a smelter continue to hamper operations.

The company has said that levels could dip lower than last year's if the smelter at the Selous metallurgical complex continues to under-perform.

Almost three months of breakdowns, a spokesman said, had had a negative impact on both production and sales, an effect visible in the third quarter results.

He said that more than 50,000 oz of platinum alone had been produced during the last quarter, while third quarter production of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold amounted to less than 34,000 oz. Sales revenue has declined from $21.13 million to 14.9 million.

'We have lost a total of three months in platinum production due to the plant breakdown', said the spokesman to Platts.

'You can imagine the kind of loss we have come to ever since the smelter gave away.'