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Amplats prepares to cut thousands of jobs after earnings plunge

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats). strategies to cut countless jobs at its mines in South. Africa, it stated on Monday, after revenue plunged by 71% last. year.

The business stated it was embarking on a restructuring that. might impact about 3,700 tasks at its South African operations,. or 17% of the Anglo American unit's labor force, as it. fights to keep a lid on costs after a depression in the price of. platinum group metals (PGMs).

The miner is also examining contracts with 620 specialists. or service providers to help save costs, it stated.

South Africa's PGM miners are resorting to cutting jobs and. delaying prepared investments as they fight to protect. margins after a sudden change in outlook following a rapid. plunge in metal rates. Palladium decreased by 37% last year. after surging to more than $3,400 an ounce after Russia's. intrusion of Ukraine. Rhodium, which soared to practically $30,000 an. ounce in 2021, was trading at $4,365 an ounce on Monday.

The job losses come as platinum output has actually been gradually. declining over the past decades with investors thinking twice to. invest in new mines as a growing battery electric automobile sector. clouds platinum metals' demand prospects.

The restructuring decision has actually not been ignored,. Amplats CEO Craig Miller stated.

It's very much a last hope, not least as we identify the. unemployment difficulties in South Africa and the socio-economic. effect that the proposed restructuring may have on our people. and the neighborhoods we belong to, he said.

The Johannesburg-based manufacturer's profit slumped to 14. billion rand ($ 742 million) in the year ended Dec. 31 from 48.8. billion rand the previous year. Amplats slashed its dividend by. 81% to 21.30 rand per share.

Amplats' South African peers Sibanye Stillwater and. Impala Platinum are likewise preparing to cut staff.

The task losses could be prevented if Amplats sells its. loss-making shafts, Livhuwani Mammburu, representative for. National Union of Mineworkers said.

We are going to engage Amplats and see if this can be. prevented as we can't allow such a big number of employees to be. retrenched, Mammburu told . We have actually always informed Amplats. to offer its loss-making mines to interested financiers to avoid. job losses.

Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad told earlier this. month that the group was considering deeper cost-cutting. measures if market conditions did not enhance, after announcing. in December sweeping cuts to save about $1.8 billion by 2026.

Amplats is delaying organized jobs at its Amandelbult. complex, where the majority of the impacted tasks are, Miller stated. He. declined to state whether Amplats would consider offering. Amandelbult.

The platinum miner is targeting a combined 10 billion rand. in savings this year by minimizing expenses and holding off planned. expansion projects.

Amplats would continue to focus on driving efficiencies and. might think about extra proper actions if metals. costs weaken even more, it said.

It will also place its Mortimer smelter on care and. upkeep from the middle of this year, saving about 3.5. billion rand over the next three years, Miller said.