North American Palladium Ltd. (fka PALDF)

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SWC
Stillwater Up As Rivals Halt South African Operations

Last Update: 1/25/2008 11:52:03 AM

By Jerry A. DiColo
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES


NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Shares of Stillwater Mining Co. (SWC) rose 22% Friday on
record platinum prices and high palladium prices resulting from recent production
curtailments in South Africa due to uncertain power supply conditions.

Spot platinum reached a record $1,697 a troy ounce, up 15% from Wednesday's low
and up more than 50% from year-ago levels.

Spot palladium recently traded at $384.50 a troy ounce, up 5.3% from Wednesday's
low.

On Friday, a spokesman for Anglo Platinum Ltd. (AMS.JO), the world's leading
producer of platinum, announced it has suspended all operations in South Africa
after the country's power supplier said it couldn't make guarantees about the
supply of electricity to mines.

And Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. (IMPUY), the global platinum number two, also
halted operations at its largest mine near Rustenburg, South Africa, said
spokesman Bob Gilmour.

Stillwater, a Columbus, Mt., platinum and palladium mining company, operates
mines in south central Montana, and according to its most recent annual report is
the sole producer of platinum and palladium in the U.S.

"Commodities are up, people want to play that theme, but they're not sure if they
can play it with South African stocks," said Victor Flores, an analyst with HSBC
Global Research.

South Africa has been hit with an escalation in the number of power cuts, or load
shedding, for more than a week as power company Eskom Holdings Ltd., the supplier
of about 95% of electricity used in the country, struggles to meet demand due to
repairs and maintenance work at plants.

Stillwater shares recently were up $1.84 to $10.20 on nearly twice the average
daily volume.

-By Jerry A. DiColo, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-2007; [e-mail]

(Robb M. Stewart contributed to this report.)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 25, 2008 11:52 ET (16:52 GMT)

http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=SWC&p=D&yr=0&mn=6&dy=0&id=p88369089267