Merafe Resources ferrochromium production is down by 76% to 19000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2009 from 79000 tonne in the first quarter of 2008.

Only three furnaces, 20% of production, are in operation at Xstrata-Merafe. No date has been set for restarting production.

Merafe has a 20.5% stake in the Xstrata-Merafe chrome venture the largest ferrochromium producer in the world with a total capacity of 1.96 million tonne per year.