JOHANNESBURG (Bloomberg) — Bermuda-based Aquarius Platinum Ltd., a platinum and palladium miner, said a company that operates two of its mines under contract in South Africa fired 3,250 workers after they went on strike. Johannesburg-based contractor Murray & Roberts is working with the National Union of Mineworkers to help "normalise" production, Aquarius said yesterday in a statement to South Africa's stock exchange. The workers were fired from the company's Kroondal and Marikana mines.

The mines remained operational, Aquarius said. Its shares fell 11 rand, or 4.6 percent, to 228 rand, valuing the company at 19.5 billion rand ($2.8 billion).