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South African Platinum Miners End Strike

Striking workers of the Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) move from shaft to shaft to call on their colleagues to stop working in Rustenburg, September 12, 2012.

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VOA News

November 15, 2012

Striking miners in South Africa have returned to work at Anglo American Platinum, after a two-month work stoppage that crippled operations at the world's top platinum producer.

The company said Thursday production will not restart for at least a week while employees attend safety seminars.

Workers launched the strike in the September demanding higher wages amid a wave of similar actions by miners working for other companies in South Africa.

Anglo American, or Amplats, offered workers a one-time payment of $500 plus either an additional $70 monthly allowance or a monthly salary increase of $45.

The company told investors Wednesday that its earnings this year will be 20 percent lower than last year.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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