Fires that closed the Stillwater and East Boulder mines of Stillwater Mining (SWC-N) will not affect annual production, says the company.
Stillwater expects to produce 600,000 oz. platinum-group metals in 2006, up from 554,000 oz. — 428,000 oz. palladium and 126,000 oz. platinum — the year before.
Two forest fires, Derby and Jungle, which started in southwestern Montana in late August, forced the company’s East Boulder mine to close twice, for a total of seven days, and its Stillwater Mine to close for two. The mines themselves were not threatened by the fires, but smoke conditions caused road closures that kept employees away.
The Derby fire burned 809 sq. km and the Jungle fire 101 sq. km before being contained. The two destroyed 28 homes and did about US$21 million in damage.
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