platinum strikes may reflect over-deep mines

South African Mines Too Deep, Root Of The Platinum Strikes Issue

“They’re very deep, they’re very difficult to work, very labor intensive and very costly.”

“The longer the strike goes on, the more distressed the situation the companies are likely to end up in, so the harder it’s going to be for them to restart some of the more expensive operations,”

"...inventories are largely expected to be depleted at some point during March, and we’re getting quite close to the end of that right now...thereafter, I would expect there to be a price response..."

Of course, the two-month long strike could end abruptly if the miners become too impoverished to continue.