[miningmx.com] — SOUTH Africa’s mining output fell sharply in volume terms in February, highlighting the impact of a government safety drive that has slowed production and a crippling strike at the world’s biggest platinum mine, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Production of platinum group metals (PGMs) fell 47.6% while gold output fell by 11.5% in volume terms in February. Total mineral production was down 14.5% compared with the same month last year, according Statistics South Africa data.
An illegal and deadly six-week strike at the massive Rustenburg operations of Impala Platinum, the world’s second largest producer of the precious metal, was the main cause of the sharp PGM decline.
The strike cost Implats’ 120,000 ounces in lost output and effectively cut 15% of global supply for several weeks.
A government drive to reduce mining deaths has led to more inspections that shut shafts and cut production.
South African safety stoppages cost world No. 3 producer AngloGold Ashanti 76,000 ounces of lost production in the first three months of 2012, more than for the whole of last year, the company said in a trading statement on Tuesday.
