Gold Fields flagged headline earnings per share -- the main gauge of profit in South Africa -- of $0.23 to $0.26 for the year to Dec. 31, 2017, or unchanged to up to 12 percent lower compared to the previous period.

The company, which also operates in Ghana and Peru, said earnings were affected by an increase in amortisation at its Tarkwa, Cerro Corona and St Ives operations and impairments from its South Deep mine.