According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in September this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by 5.2 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index increased by 12.1 percent, both compared to August. On the other hand, South Africa's nickel production index fell 3.5 percent in September compared to August.
On year-on-year basis, in September this year South African iron ore production fell 20.2 percent, manganese ore production increased by 42.1 percent, while the country's nickel output increased by 11.6 percent.
Furthermore, the seasonally adjusted iron ore sales value at current prices in August this year increased by 52.8 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 7.40 billion ($716.91 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices decreased by 15.9 percent in August compared to July, amounting to ZAR 620.2 million ($58.23 million). The seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales value in August at current prices was ZAR 1.16 billion ($113.02 million), down 32.7 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in August this year was up 68.9 percent in iron ore sales, up 7.1 percent in nickel sales and up 4.8 percent in manganese ore sales.