The chief executive of Impala Platinum (Implats) has hinted that the firm will adopt a phased approach to increasing production at its platinum sites in Zimbabwe.

Keith Rumble suggested that platinum production could be increased to more than 300,000 oz at its 82 per cent-owned Zimbabwe Platinum Mines (Zimplats) operations by 2010.

This could be done through the introduction of a series of staggered underground expansions rather than a big-bang approach in order to mitigate not only technical risks but also political and economic ones associated the instability of the country.

Many commentators have questioned why the firm has not plunged head-on into its operations at Ngezi in Zimbabwe in light of the fact that it will have to give up a significant amount of its interests in South Africa's Bushveld Complex to empowerment firms.

But Mr Rumble told Mining Weekly: 'I think it will be irresponsible for us to take a big-bang approach; we need to understand the technical risks first and we also want to see how the political situation in Zimbabwe pans out.'