According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in May this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by 2.7 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index fell by 2.7 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was down by 8.3 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in May this year South African iron ore production decreased by 26.4 percent, manganese ore production fell by 25.4 percent, while the country's nickel output was down by 9.4 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in April increased by 1.8 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 3.75 billion ($263.13 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 19.4 percent in April compared to March, amounting to ZAR 540.3 million ($37.86 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in April at current prices totaled ZAR 1.45 billion ($101.81 million), up 60.6 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in April this year was up 9.9 percent in iron ore sales, was down by 36.9 percent in nickel sales and rose by 28.9 percent in manganese ore sales.