The strike, which was due to start on Thursday night, was postponed until a Labour Court judge had decided whether to grant an urgent interdict to halt the strike. Platinum in concentrate from its own operations was flat at 678,000oz, despite the restructuring and the closure of the Number 4 shaft. Implats cut its workforce by 1,500 people during the six months as it started on its two-year restructuring process at its core Rustenburg mines. Refined output increased by 11% to 1.59-million ounces of platinum group metals (PGMs), of which 800,000oz were platinum ounces and 464,000oz were palladium, as the company drew down on inventory. Platinum sales increased by 19% to 773,000oz. There was a 16% improvement in the price for the basket of PGMs the company sold for the year. Despite the improved prices for PGMs, driven by all metals except platinum, Implats would remain wedded to its strategic plans around restructuring its Rustenburg mines, but timing and options around assets could be tweaked, said Muller.