LONMIN REPORTS PROGRESS
Lonmin Plc ("Lonmin" or "the Company") today provides an update on the action it has already taken to deliver its programme of shaft closures and workforce reduction announced on 24th July. The programme is planned to further reduce Lonmin's cost base and underpin the Company's ability to sustain a depressed Platinum pricing environment over an extended period of time.
Lonmin's stoppage of high-cost production and the potential reduction of the workforce by a total of 6,000 is intended to reduce costs and capital expenditure. Over the next two years 100,000 ounces of high-cost production will have been eliminated but in the meantime the available resources of Hossy will be mined for value. By the end of 2017 production will have reduced by 100,000 ounces per annum. Management has the target of cutting fixed and overhead costs at the same time.
Progress so far:
· 1,400 employees have left the business.
· The Section 189 consultation process on the remainder of the significant downsizing is proceeding on schedule.
· Labour relations continue on a positive and realistic basis.
· Against a cost guidance of R10,800 per PGM ounce, at the end of July year-to-date underlying cash costs on an unaudited basis were R10,499 per PGM ounce, emphasizing the focused management attention.
· Underlying cash costs for the full year are expected to remain below the cost guidance of R10,800 per ounce.
The Board and Management have set the clear objective of containing capital expenditure while cash-harvesting immediately available ore reserves from the Hossy and Newman shafts.
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