According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in October this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by seven percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 0.4 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by 3.2 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in October this year South African iron ore production increased by 5.9 percent, manganese ore production fell by 10.5 percent, while the country's nickel output was down by 14.5 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in September decreased by 22.6 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 3.1 billion ($220.81 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 12.6 percent in September compared to August, amounting to ZAR 572.6 million ($40.72 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in September at current prices totaled ZAR 1.13 billion ($80.87 million), down 9.6 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in September this year was down 9.6 percent in iron ore sales, was down by 15.1 percent in nickel sales and fell by 5.2 percent in manganese ore sales.