South African miners at a ferrochrome venture between Glencore Plc and Merafe Resources reached an agreement to end a strike that will see the wages of the lowest paid workers almost double over the next three years, a union official said.

About 1,500 workers at the venture downed tools in September demanding that salaries for the lowest level workers be increased.

"It means in three years, the entry level salaries for workers in Glencore will be 18,000 rand ($1.6327) , with a take home pay of R12,100 rand. Now, workers take home around 7,000 rand ," said Steven Nhlapo and official from the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa.

The venture is the largest producer of ferrochrome, an ingredient used to make stainless steel.

Workers will resume duty on Tuesday at the three mines around South Africa's platinum rich Rustenburg area, north of Johannesburg, which has been severely hit by labour strikes.

A Merafe spokeswoman said the wage agreement was signed on Friday and that the strike was over.

(1 US dollar = 11.0248 South African rand)