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)