1.   Impala, the second-largest platinum producer in the world, also produces palladium.

2.   Platinum producers and marketing companies say they will postpone plans to promote platinum jewelry in southeast Asia following the recent currency crisis.

3.   Russia is the second-largest platinum producer in the world.

4.   Precious metals meanwhile lost ground after a general strike that had been threatened for next week in South Africa, leading gold and platinum producer, was called off.

5.   The merger would have created one of the two biggest platinum producers in the world.