An Angloplats smelter which had been out of action since September is back up and running, the company has confirmed.

The smelter at the Polokwane plant was shut down after a blast at the site in September, lowering Angloplats' production estimates for 2005, but the repair and replacement of the waffle cooler which led to the explosion has now been completed.

"The smelter was heated up and production has commenced already and we're running through the stockpiled concentrate," announced Angloplats spokesman Trevor Raymond.

In October, the company said it expected to produce 2.51 million ounces of refined platinum, down from its original estimate of 2.6 million ounces before the Polokwane explosion.

Now that the smelter is back up and running, Angloplats will be hoping that it can make up the shortfall last year with an improved performance during 2006.

However, Mr Raymond refused to give any indication on the mining firm's headline earnings for 2005.


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