Johannesburg - South African bullion producer Gold Fields posted a slight rise in fourth quarter earnings on Thursday as production rose 21 percent, mostly because of a significant improvement in its Damang mine in Ghana.
Normalised earnings for the quarter to end-December totalled 19 cents per share from 17 cents in the previous three months.
On year-on-year basis earnings were down 85 percent, a reflection of the falling gold price.
Normalised earnings are based on new standards by the World Gold Council which look at all costs and most capital expenditures. - Reuters