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JOHANNESBURG, April 17 (Reuters) - South Africa’s Impala Platinum (Implats) said on Friday it would gradually return to work after the government relaxed regulations on miners during the coronavirus lockdown.
The platinum miner said it would begin the process from Friday taking precautionary measures to protect employees.
“Implats’ operational strategy is aimed at securing the integrity of key infrastructure and facilitating a safe start-up once operations are cleared to resume,” it said in a statement.
South Africa said on Thursday it would allow mines to operate at up to 50% capacity after it had previously ordered most underground mines and furnaces to be put on care and maintenance, apart from coal mines supplying state power utility Eskom.
London-listed Jubilee Metals also said on Friday its Inyoni surface platinum group metals (PGM) and chrome operation had recommenced production while its Windsor joint venture planned to restart shortly.
South Africa is the world’s biggest producer of chrome ore, accounts for around 70% of global mined platinum supply, and is a major producer of other minerals and metals.
The lockdown, which started on March 27 and has been extended until the end of April, has hit global commodities markets since several local miners have cut production plans or declared force majeure, which exonerates them from contractual obligations.
Implats said it had placed its Canadian mining operations, which were previously allowed to operate, into care and maintenance on Monday after seven coronavirus cases were confirmed at its Lac des Iles mine over the past week.
“The majority of employees have left the site and are in self-quarantine until April, 27 2020. Management continues to collaborate with the health authorities and operations will resume when it is safe to do so,” Implats said. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
