A platinum group metals (PGMs) producer in southern Africa. Company has interests in 5 operations and project located on both the world-renowned Bushveld Complex in South Africa and the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe. Its primary operation Kroondal Mine is one of the lowest cost and most efficient PGM producers in the world. Its second operation in South Africa, the Marikana Mine, is currently making the transition from a pure open cast operation to a mixed underground operation. Its third mine in South Africa, the Everest Mine is currently under construction with commissioning and first production expected by the end of 2005.

Upper graph = 12 month share price with 6 month moving average
Lower graph = 12 month volume (red line = volume average).

SALES PER ACTIVITY (Data as of 30/06/2006)

Platinium extraction & others: 98%
:                                        2%









Independent - 5 May 2007 - The Investment Column - Our view: Buy - Share price: 1511p

It has been two years since we looked at Aquarius Platinum, and in the intervening months the shares have rocketed from 336p to 1,511p, giving anyone taking our "buy" advice a very healthy return of 350 per cent.

Platinum has a distinctive place in commodities as a precious metal whose primary market is industrial. Whereas the price of base metals has been driven by Chinese demand, the platinum market has been driven by regulatory changes in the motor car industry. Almost 75 per cent of the world's platinum is used in catalytic converters, and supply has been squeezed so much that the jewellery market has been reduced.

Last week's third-quarter production numbers from Aquarius were a slight disappointment, showing a fall of 9 per cent against the previous quarter. However, with operations exclusively in South Africa, Aquarius has benefited from being one of the lowest cost platinum producers. Wage and capital goods inflation is certainly a cause for concern but with demand for platinum is unlikely to be matched by supply in the near term the chances of a sharp correction are slim.

Aquarius is well positioned in the rhodium market; another precious metal used in flat-screen television screens. There is a global shortage of rhodium and the rare metal is currently trading at $6,000 an ounce, nearly 10 times the price of gold.

The mining industry is consolidating and given Aquarius's track record and relative lack of exposure to the fluctuations of Chinese demand a bid cannot be ruled out. Despite the share price going into orbit, the stock still trades on just 12.7 times forecast 2008 earnings so remains a buy.

I give up tell me more.

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Johnson Matthey gave a good upbeat trading statement today saying it sees particular growth in its catalysts division in the coming year as demand is driven by climate change and emissions concerns. With the price of platinum near an all-time high, and demand increasing daily, this can only be good for Aquarius. The sp is down 8% over two days with no bad news. A good time to time to top up or buy in.

"The bottom line is that developing platinum miners are once again set to teach a new generation of investors about how it's possible to burn ten fingers, ten toes and one nose, all at once."


Read full article

What's that got to do with AQP, e t ?

"The dark (very dark) side of platinum juniors, and the venality of silly investors putting the current junior platinum boom into perspective."

Is AQP a platinum junior?!!!

It will be if the share price falls any further !!

Head & Shoulders with an 11 quid target ???

I thought the last broker target was 1800p?

They have been known to get it wrong ... more often than not imo.

It was just an observation Haerry , be interesting to see how it pans out.

No critisism intended. Your comments are as good as any.
Chart has slipped below the 25 DMA over the last month, but still well above the 200 DMA. Am hoping it will continue to trade between the 1400 - 1600p range.

Up 10% today & pushing new highs.

"Aquarius Platinum wish to advise the interim dividend of US 10 cents per share
will be payable to shareholders on Thursday 20 March 2008 (previously Friday 21
March 2008). The Record Date remains unchanged as Friday 29 February 2008."

Investec target price raised today to 925p.

Looks like there is no support for Aquarius Platinum. With the current crashing platinum price and poor car industry, demand is dwindling at a fast rate. Now 250p.

Incredible! Far cry from my posts back in feb this year, but platinum currrently $996 ounce (from $2200 in Jan). As you say, where is the bottom?

1? Bankruptcy?

It would be interesting to know what the break even price for platinum is as regards AQP. (i.e. Final market price versus production cost). That would give us an idea as to profitablity. I will try & research.

would appreciate that Harry

Sell AQP on current news below.


SINGAPORE, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Platinum slipped 3 percent on Monday to its weakest in almost three years, nearing $900 an ounce, on economic weakness and dismal car sales, which threatened to slash demand for auto catalysts.

Platinum was trading at $922.50 an ounce, down $27.50, having hit a low of $920 an ounce -- its weakest since November 2005.

Major automakers reported plunging U.S. sales for September, led by a 34 percent slide at Ford Motor Co, as the escalating credit crisis hit the industry and raised new doubts about when the world's auto market would stabilise.

More than 60 percent of global use in platinum goes to autocatalysts. Platinum is also used in jewellery.

Platinum price is crashing...SELL AQP

approaching 100p who would have believed it 12 months ago.

It'll be good value at 10p

Its gone..

30p is my target.

let's split the difference and say 20p

let's split the difference and say 20p

Seems fair enough to me .. 20p it is then.

This is nuts now !....the world has gone mad !.

down another 20%

Take a look at JLP....unbelievable....a Tom Winnifriths (I hope I spelt his name correctly) tip !.

This is no surprise for AQP as car industry has been hit, no demand for platinum anymore. It is in free fall. SELL out is the message.

This is heading to 20p in quick time.

Dont listen to Winnipeg he tipped RBS at 600p they are now 60p the man is clueless.. in my opinion of course.

Platinum tumbles 6 pct on demand woes, gold steady - AFX


LONDON, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Platinum fell more than 6 percent

on Wednesday as investors fretted over the outlook for

carmakers, who account for half the global consumption of the

metal. Gold was steady, supported by a weak dollar and firm oil.



PRICES

* Spot gold was at $746.10/748.60 an ounce at 0758

GMT compared with $744.30 late in New York on Tuesday.

* Silver was little changed at $9.15/9.27 from $9.16.

* Platinum at $784.50/814.50 from $809.00. In earlier trade it touched a low of $755.50.

Aquarius Platinum posts Q1 net loss


JOHANNESBURG, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Aquarius Platinum Ltd:

* Says attributable production increased 17% to 128,366 pgm ounces

* Aquarius platinum says Q1 reduction in cash costs per ounce at

kroondal, marikana, mimosa, ctrp and platinum mile

* Aquarius platinum says Q1 gross 'cash' profit of $49.1 million

before negative impact of metal price revenue adjustments

* Aquarius platinum ltd says Q1 net loss of $21.5 million due to

negative metals price revenue adjustments of $71.9 million

Lazard is dumping AQP shares...


Lazard Asset Management LLC and subsidiaries, has advised the Company that its
notifiable interest in the Company is now 6.518%, representing 21,320,492
shares in the Company from 8.005%.

Well they left that a bit late. Should have dumped ages ago. Suspect they need the cash for other leveraged positions.

Bought a few Friday.

Harry it's about 800 bucks per pound, hence the rise recently from the 19th Nov... do some research. Gx

$800 per pound eh? I think I'll stick with my own researched price of $879 per ounce!

lol...

Now $950 Oz & looking to go further even though demand from exhaust manufacturers is down.
Amazing that demand is now down, but with temporary mine closures, power problems in S.A. & reducing reserves the price of platinum continues to climb.
AQP currently 238p, from a low in Nov '08 of 78p.

"Aquarius Platinum has confirmed yesterdays announcement from Ridge Mining that it is in talks about a possible offer for Ridge."

12 February 2009

"Ridge confirms it is currently in discussions with Aquarius Platinum Limited ('Aquarius') which may or may not lead to an offer for Ridge's entire issued and to be issued share capital.

There is no certainty as to the terms and structure of any such transaction nor that an agreement will be reached between the Company and Aquarius. Shareholders are advised to take no action at this time. Any further announcement will be made as appropriate."

Platinum price now $1045 oz, yet broker forecast is a downgrade. Due to the possible cash drain from the proposed takeover of RDG?
"BROKER NEWS Aquarius Platinum initiated at Teathers with reduce rating, 166p target price"

How do the future prospects for catalytic convertors enter into the equation. I would have thought it would have been immense?

Of course, but until car, bus & truck production increases, platinum demand is going to be severely limited. There have also been production difficulties together with mothballing of mines in S.A., which has limited the stockpiles of platinum, possibly artificially supporting the price. In the short term it looks to me as though supply is going to outstrip demand, but all should get back to normal once the auto manufacturers start putting orders in for cats.
Remains to be seen what effect the 'green' developments have, but looks like petrol & diesel are here for a while yet, imo.

Harry,who do you see as the best player in the platinum market?

Really tricky to say, imo. Anglo-Platinum is the world's largest producer, but is listed on XETRA in s (not on the London exchanges). Lots of other miners produce platinum along with other metals. Lonmin is the world's 3rd largest producer. It also mines other metals, but is also part owned by Xtrata who also mine platinum under their own brand name.
It depends on whether you want just a pure platinum play, in which case AQP seems to be the best at the moment & the easiest to trade. I don't know a great deal about the others, of which Jubilee seems to be in the same field, but much smaller.
If you have a look at www.mineweb.com & then click the tab 'Platinum group metals' that shoiuld give you an idea of the major players.

Thanks for the info ,Harry.I'll check things out.
Jubilee certainly have been hard hit,must be their debt levels,although are up a bit in the past fortnight.

big movement upwards in last 2 days ,over 30points in first half hour -20% in 2 days

Yes. The spot plat price is just over $1200/oz which is keeping the miners happy.
AQP is due a setback though, as they have recently had a bond issue and are currently in the middle of a rights issue as they have to pay off a bridging loan which is due on the 30th june.
The german 'old car buyback' scheme is however giving the german auto industry a boost & it looks like things may be on the turn for the auto makers.
I am holding some AQP stock & trading the rest just to be safe.

Looks like good times are here to stay.

//money.ninemsn.com.au
"Platinum was up 0.7 percent at $1,193 per ounce a day after rising as high as $1,210, the highest since Sept. 24, as investment demand was boosted by news that new exchange-traded products linked to platinum group metals are being planned."

Here we go to 600p.

MoneyAM
"Aquarius Platinum has set out details of its ZAR650m bond issue.

Aquarius said the base share price for the bonds will be ZAR30.51 and the number of shares which each bond can be converted into is 26,226 - ZAR1m divided by the conversion price of ZAR38.13 which is a 25% premium to the base share price.

The issue will be managed by Rand Merchant Bank, a division of FirstRand Bank Ltd, which is underwriting ZAR500m of the issue.

Aquarius shareholders will be given the opportunity to subscribe for bonds on the same terms as RMB and will be treated preferentially in the allocation process

Allocation of the bonds is expected to take place on or around 5 May. "

Third quarter results out today look very positive.

Platinum prices are up from $800 to $1200 in the past 6 months,but still $1,000 short of price of a year ago.All other precious metals appear to be on the rise too.It looks promising to me.

Aquarius Picks Up 32.7% of Ridge Mining
MoneyAM
The takeover offer for Ridge Mining by Aquarius Platinum has received acceptance from shareholders representing 32.7% of the issued share capital.

Aquarius says that it has recently received an undertaking from Gold Mountains which holds 18.4m Ridge Mining shares. In total, Aquarius says it can count on votes from shareholders representing 30.08m Ridge Mining Shares

I think the rights issue is priced at approx 230p, which triggers on the 5th may, so expect a little pullback in the sp.

Dated 18th june '09:
Business Financial Newswire
"Aquarius says its offer for Ridge Mining has been approved unconditionally by the South African Competition Tribunal.

The transaction is subject to the approval of Ridge shareholders, which is being sought at the shareholder meetings on 6 July, and the approval of the court, which is being sought on 27 July.

Aquarius has received irrevocable undertakings to vote in favour of the transaction representing 32.7% of Ridge's issued ordinary share capital, received from the Ridge directors and the two largest shareholders, Gold Mountains (H.K.) International Mining
Company Ltd - a wholly owned subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd - and Blackrock Investment Management (UK) Ltd."

Aquarius Platinum slashes losses
Business Financial Newswire
Aquarius Platinum this morning reported its net loss was reduced from $70.1m at the half-year stage to $45.7m by the end of the year at 30th June 2009. Production was at the target level, closing at 455,675 PGM ounces for the full year.

The company had a cash balance at FY close of $154m, after repayment of a R1.577bn ($177m) bridge facility in AQPSA

Group attributable production at 455,675 PGM ounces was achieved despite suspension of operations at the Everest Platinum Mine (2008: 500,203 PGM ounces).

THe cpompay reported improved production at all operating units; up 13% in total (excluding Everest .& Platinum Mile)

Revenue decreased 66% from $919m to $311m as PGM prices collapsed.

Net profit of $24.4m was achieved in H2, reducing the full year loss to $45.7m.

Net mine operating cash flow of $27m was achieved, despite negative
provisional price adjustments and significant pipeline advance repayments.

Group debt was reduced to $82m from $210m and there was a group cash balance of $154m at year-end.

Stuart Murray, CEO, said, 'What a year this was; a year of highs and lows; be it prices, currency volatility in both of our operating domains, the Everest mine suspension, the acquisition of Ridge, and the capital base restructuring, along with the usual challenges the
mining industry.

'There is no doubt that the collapse in PGM prices pose this industry great issues and indeed posed this company some unique challenges as margins were cut to the bone. Despite this ongoing overhang, Aquarius has responded decisively and has delivered an aggregate 13% production improvement across all its current operations and has managed to reduce the half year net loss of $70m announced in February 2009 to $45m by year-end, with more
positive prospects appearing.'



Story provided by Business Financial Newswire

Aquarius Platinum sacks striking staff
Business Financial Newswire


Aquarius Platinum has dismissed 3,900 of its employees at its Kroondal and Marika operations as a result of their unprotected industrial action.

The Company expects that the production at the affected shafts will commence on 31 August and will ramp up as new employees are engaged.

A production loss of some 15,000 ounces PGMs (4E) is anticipated.

we all know u r hyleo in disguise. hows ur shorts, lol?

Even if he is,it does not change the news,DOES IT!

AQP down 6% this morning(18 points),so it is a good job that most of the trades have been buys!? A good job they weren't sells

AQP not flavour of the month for a number of reasons. PLAA was tipped as having more immediate potential.

on aug 27 this was deramped when it went as low as about 250p........jes, its went to over 303p on friday so obviously its going to take a bit of a breather.

buy long term and watch it rise eventually.

plaa was tipped, lol......who by? er, could it be those corrupt bankrupt investment banks that brought western world to its knees, haha

By Shares Mag & the W/e FT.
"buy long term and watch it rise eventually".........pretty hit & miss strategy!

Shares mag article:
"The weakening of the dollar against the South African rand and strike action by miners should strengthen the platinum price. The metal valuation has generally been flat at around $1,260 per ounce for the past month. The year-to-date average price is $1,125 per ounce. Investment bank RBC Capital Markets has raised its forecast for the 2009 year-end average to $1,200 from $1,100 and
sees next year's price coming in at $1,250 per ounce. It says investors should seek exposure to a rising platinum price through junior miners. The majors are currently struggling with rising costs and the market has already priced in higher selling prices into equity valuations. RBC believes juniors are best positioned to gain from takeover potential, lower operating costs and lower capital expenditure on growth projects, 'and thereby best upside to a potentially higher future metal price environment'. Its favourite stocks include Platinum Australia (PLAA:AIM) and Eastern Platinum (ELR:AIM). (DC)"

shares mag is a bag of shite. i aint read it for several years......its tips are totally wrong, in fact do the opposite to what it predicts.

ft......lol, we all know the paper aint what it was in past. i dont know who works there now but i bet some dubious people along the likes of robert peston who used to work there.

You don't seem in a very tolerant mood today, marni! What do you recommend that we should read then?

probably the scotsman.

daily telegraph is very informative i find.....as it gives reasons for its tips.....not always right but as i say it gives good info for its reasoning for tips

with justyi, chessplayer and halifax on this, this share should be going up from now on, haha

this is now up more than 15p in 1.5 days since the idiots above tried to deramp this as usual........maybe they look at sp falling one day after its gone up 50p in a recent rally and then come back to deramping.

oh......platinum prices are going up up up!

$1336 at the mo,but way off the highs of $2300 reached some 18 months ago

its still well up from where it was. u r becoming tiresome chessplayer with your deramping which hasnt worked.....in fact every time u post, the sp suddenly goes up

Can,t win them all. As my teacher used to say,"Win ,lose or draw, for good sports it is always a good day!"'

HARARE, Oct 6 (Reuters) - "Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe opens a session of parliament on Tuesday which will debate amendments to the mining law. Mugabe told a mining conference last month the government would soon pass a law to address concerns raised by an earlier draft that sought to give locals at least 51 percent of foreign-owned mining operations.

MIMOSA - The 50-50 joint venture between Implats and Aquarius Platinum Limited is the smaller of Zimbabwe's two operational platinum mines. It is located on the Greak Dyke belt, which has the second biggst platinum mine reserves in the world and is home to all the platinum projects. Mimosa produced 78,200 ounces of platinum concentrate in 2007. "

Any views,Harry, on the possible implications of this?
What % of AQP is in Zimbabwe?

Location: Wedza Geological Complex on the southern portion of the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe
Comprises: Shallow underground mine accessed by decline shaft and a surface concentrator plant
Management: Managed by Mimosa Investments Limited, which is jointly controlled by Aquarius and Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) on a 50:50 basis
Production: Total production of 150,832 PGM ounces for FY2008 of which 75,416 ounces (50%) are attributable to Aquarius
Life-of-mine: to 20 years plus
Refining: Concentrate offtake agreement with Impala Refining Services (IRS)
Number of employees: 1,633 people, comprising 1,503 employees and 130 contractors

Attributable production from Mimosa seems to be about 25% of total ounces mined by AQP operations, comprising a number of base & precious metals, but that does not necessarily mean that that figure is 25% of AQP revenue. I can't find that info atm.

this is doing well today again.....hopefully get up to 350p this time

can it do it this time......doing well with platimunm up

Aquarius Platinum Q1 net profit of $9.5m
Business Financial Newswire
South-African focused platinum producer Aquarius Platinum posts a first quarter net profit $9.5m compared with a loss of $21.5m a year ago.

The figure was after one-off costs of $3.2m associated with the acquisition of Ridge Mining.

Aquarius said it had benefited considerably from the improving state of PGM prices.

Chief executive Stuart Murray said "While production and hence costs were negatively affected by unprotected industrial action at the Kroondal and Marikana mines, the underlying performance of these operations remained stable.

"The attributable loss of approximately 16,000 ounces due the industrial action is in line with previous guidance given."