WESTERN Areas gold firm sustained its steady performance improvement for the fourth successive quarter in the three months to December, boosting production, curbing costs and posting a further profit increase. Gold production for the quarter rose by 115kg or 3,8% to 3134kg. Gold revenue increased from R336,1-million to R336,7-million, helped by the higher production and hedging profits. The increase in US dollar gold prices over this period was offset by the strengthening of the rand. The bottom line is that Western’s profit from gold improved from R179,2-million to R181,1-million.