Police were called into quell riots after an escalation of industrial action by workers at Impala Platinum's (Implats) Rustenburg mine.

Tear gas was fired and one miner has been reported killed following disturbances at the plant, which accounts for 60 per cent of the firm's output and 15 per cent of global platinum production.

Production at the mine was halted last month after an illegal strike by rock drill operators led to further wildcat strikes and over 17,000 workers being dismissed by the company.

A police spokeswoman told Reuters that up to 5,000 miners blocked the road leading up to the mine.

"The road was barricaded, vehicles travelling on that road were stoned, private vehicles as well as heavy-armed policed vehicles," she said, adding that eight arrests were made.

Since the strike began 35 days ago, Implats said it has lost over 60,000 oz in output at around 3,000 oz per day.

Chief executive officer David Brown said the company had rehired 6,000 workers, but could not say when normal operations would resume.

"If workers don't come back to work, we'll have to hire new people. It'll take two to four weeks to get back to operational normality," he told Reuters.

Impala has lost over 1.2 billion rand in revenue from the labour disruptions at the Rustenburg mine.

The company also reported a loss of 33,000 platinum ounces as a result of Section 54 safety stoppages during the six months to the end of December 2011.

Despite this, production remained almost unchanged at 738,000 oz for the six months, with its Rustenburg operations accounting for 490,000 oz.

At Marula, platinum production in concentrate of 36,000 oz was  in line with the revised production target of 70,000 platinum ounces per year.

Platinum production in concentrate at the company's Two Rivers operation increased by five per cent to 77,000 oz.

In Zimbabwe, Zimplats platinum production in matte rose by four per cent to 92,000 oz, while Mimosa recorded a two per cent rise in platinum production in concentrate to 52,400 oz.

Sources:

UPDATE 3-S.Africa police fire tear gas at rioting platinum miners (16/02/12)

Implats lost R1.2 bln from Rustenburg disruption –CEO (16/02/12)

Impala Platinum Working With Union to Start Rustenburg Mines (12/02/12)

UPDATE 1-S.Africa's Implats fires 13,000 workers (02/02/12)

NUM accuses Implats of 'underhand' tactics (02/02/12)

Implats gives workers until Friday to reapply for jobs (25/01/12)

Impala Strike Impact Could Last Beyond Two Weeks, Goldman Says (26/01/12)

Implats says 15% of rock drill operators back at work (26/01/12)

Implats says Rustenburg strike illegal, to fire workers (24/01/12)

Implats says 5,000 workers on strike at Rustenburg (23/01/12)

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