ARM sees Khumani iron ore output at 16 mln T by 2012

CAPE TOWN Feb 2 (Reuters) - Diversified miner African Rainbow Minerals (ARIJ.J) is on track to boost production at its Khumani iron ore mine by 2012, and was also aiming for Zimbabwe's platinum sector, its CEO said on Tuesday.

"We are certainly on track for the first phase and the second phase (expansion) and see full production at the end of the year 2012, from 10 million tonnes per annum to 16 (mtpa)," Andre Wilkens, the chief executive officer, told Reuters on the sidelines of the African mining conference.

Wilkens said African Rainbow Minerals was also looking at acquisitions in the rest of the continent and had formed a joint venture with Vale (VALE5.SA) to explore for copper in Zambia, while also looking at the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and Mozambique.

"We are looking specifically at platinum in Zimbabwe to see what we can achieve there," he said. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by James Macharia)