UPDATE 1-Avocet Mining swings to H1 pretax loss

* H1 pretax loss $4.5 mln vs $30.9 mln profit

* Takes $8.0 mln adjustment for deferred stripping at Penjom

* Seeks business opportunities in Asia, West Africa

(Adds details)

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Underperforming gold producer Avocet Mining (AVM.L) said it swung to an interim pretax loss after taking an impairment charge relating to its Penjom mine in Malaysia.

It moved to a pretax loss of $4.5 million in the six months to end September, after taking an $8.0 million adjustment for deferred stripping, from a profit of $30.9 million in the year-earlier period.

Shares in Avocet have climbed 0.8 percent this year, underperforming a 87 percent jump in the UK mining index .FTNMX1770.

Last month, the AIM-listed company announced gold production climbed 3 percent to 28,734 ounces in the second quarter but said commissioning of its Inata project in Burkina Faso will be delayed until January 2010. [ID:nWLA6684]

It said on Wednesday that good progress is being made on the construction and commissioning of the project and first gold is still expected before the end of January.