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 8.4 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 11.5 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was down by 11.3 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in May this year South African iron ore production increased by 28.6 percent, manganese ore production rose by 18.1 percent, while the country's nickel output was down by 3.3 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in April this year decreased by 34 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 3.39 billion ($262.7 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 22 percent in April compared to March, amounting to ZAR 514.9 million ($39.8 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in April at current prices totaled ZAR 1.64 billion ($126.77 million), down 24.3 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in April was down 9.5 percent in iron ore sales, was down by 4.7 percent in nickel sales and rose by 12.9 percent in manganese ore sales.