Lonmin expects striking miners back at work

Johannesburg - World no. 3 platinum producer Lonmin [JSE:LON] said it anticipated a "mass return to work" on Wednesday at its strike-hit South African operations, according to an internal company memo to employees.

"Managers and supervisors are returning from leave and ramp plans are in place for a safe return," said the memo, dated Friday and seen by Reuters.

Lonmin and other South African platinum firms have been taking wage offers directly to employees in a bid to end a 15-week strike after talks with the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) collapsed.

Amcu members at Lonmin, Impala Platinum [JSE:IMP] and Anglo Platinum [JSE:AMS] operations in Rustenburg, North West, and at Northam in Limpopo downed tools on January 23 demanding a basic salary of R12 500 over a period of four years.