Platinum prices gain on mine closure

Precious metals prices were mixed in New York trade on Friday, with platinum seeing gains on the session.

January platinum was $1 higher to $1,448.60 per troy ounce on a mine closure in South Africa after a worker died in one of the mineshafts there.

Miners are asking for a strike over safety issues after the miner was killed by falling rocks.

Earlier in the session the contract was as high as $1,459.20 per troy ounce, a new record for a most-active platinum contract.

December gold dropped 20 cents to $768.50 per troy ounce while December silver fell 17 cents to $12.64 per troy ounce.