The Perth-based miner, which was spun off from mining giant BHP Group BHP.AX in 2015, declared an interim dividend of 4.9 cents per share, down from 8.7 cents in the prior year. Updates with more details and context Feb 16 (Reuters) - Diversified miner South32 Ltd S32.AX on Thursday reported a 44% drop in first-half underlying earnings, due to easing prices for its key commodities and on higher inflationary pressures. Global recession concerns had also fuelled fears of slowing demand for metals and hurt prices, while a stronger dollar made greenback-priced commodities less attractive to non-dollar buyers.