FACTBOX-Platinum miners in top producer S.Africa

May 19 (Reuters) - South Africa has the potential to raise its platinum output by 5 percent this year from 4.64 million ounces in 2010, metals refiner Johnson Matthey said in a report this week. [ID:nLDE7491VH] For analysis see: [ID:nLDE74F0TY]

Below is a list of the top five producers in South Africa:

ANGLO PLATINUM (AMSJ.J)

The world's top producer of the precious metal accounts for about 40 percent of the world's newly mined platinum. The company produced 2.57 million ounces of platinum in 2010 and plans to raise that to 2.6 million ounces in 2011.

Its mining, smelting and refining operations are in South Africa. Elsewhere, the group is developing Unki Platinum Mine in Zimbabwe and is actively exploring in Brazil. It says it plans to grow its production in line with global demand.

IMPALA PLATINUM (IMPJ.J)

Implats, the world's second largest producer, produced 1.74 million ounces of platinum in its 2010 financial year. It plans to expand its operations to produce 2.1 million ounces by 2014.

LONMIN (LMI.L)LMIJ.J

The world's third-largest platinum miner produced 694,000 ounces of the metal in its 2010 financial year. The company sold 706,000 ounces of platinum that year and plans to achieve a sales target of 850,000 ounces platinum ounces by 2013.

AQUARIUS PLATINUM (AQP.L)(AQPJ.J)

Aquarius, a mid-tier producer of platinum group metals with assets in southern Africa, has five operating, highly mechanised mines and two retreatment operations. It has a 50 percent interest in each, apart from Everest, which it wholly owns.

Aquarius' attributable PGM production for the 2010 financial year was 422,645 ounces.

The company said in May it would boost its resource base by nearly a quarter as it announced a mineral rights acquisition that analysts say is a game changing deal for the platinum miner. [ID:nLDE7430AS]

NORTHAM PLATINUM (NHMJ.J)

The junior miner's sole operating asset is the Zondereinde mine, which produced 321,475 ounces of metals in concentrate in the 2010 financial year.

Its planned Booysendal mine is expected to boost Northam's production by 162,000 ounces of platinum group metals a year, with steady mining seen from early 2014. Source: The companies' reports, Reuters (Compiled by Agnieszka Flak and Yumna Mohamed)