JOHANNESBURG - One of the country's biggest platinum producers, Impala Platinum, expects earnings to be 20-percent lower because of the depreciation of the rand, the drop in commodity prices, and lower refined production as a result of load curtailment.
In its latest trading statement, the company says its South African operations also suffered from higher input costs in the reporting period.
The weaker dollar affected its bottom line in Zimbabwean and Canadian assets.
Sales volumes of platinum group metals declined by six percent to 2.97 million ounces.
Group capital expenditure is expected to have increased to about R11.5-billion, from R9.1-billion in the previous period that's due to higher operating costs and rand depreciation.