/ 27 January 1999

DRIEFONTEIN PROFITS UP

DRIEFONTEIN Consolidated gold mine reported on Wednesday that its profits are up 9% to R242-million in the quarter ending in December. However, headline earnings were down at 63 cents a share against 68 cents a share in the September quarter. An interim dividend of 75 cents a share was declared. Gold output rose 13% to 12977kg while production costs dropped 7% to below R36000 a kilogram.