Zijin Mining’s first-half profit almost triples as Zhaojin Mining’s profit grows 56 per cent.
Zijin Mining Group and Zhaojin Mining Industry, among two of the Chinese gold industry’s leading miners, reported bumper interim profits, bolstered by surging gold prices amid rising global demand for safe haven investments, and increasing ales at home.
Zijin’s net profit almost tripled to 1.5 billion yuan (US$224.8 million) , or 0.069 yuan per share, in the first six months of the year. Zhaojin’s net income rose 56 per cent to 396.64 million yuan, or 0.13 yuan per share, in the same period.
“Hedging demand triggered by political uncertainty became the main driver of the periodical increases in gold price” in the first half, Zhaojin’s chairman Weng Zhanbin said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.
The improving earnings underscore how an 8 per cent rise in the global price of gold in the first six months of the year has lifted the fortunes of Chinese miners. Earnings were also bolstered by China’s increasing appetite for the precious metal, both as a safe haven investment and as collectible, with the industry’s sales rising 10 per cent to 545 tonnes during the period.
