According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in February this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by 7.3 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index increased by 11.2 percent, both compared to January. On the other hand, in the given month South Africa's nickel production decreased by 17.5 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in February this year South African iron ore production rose 7.9 percent, manganese ore production increased by 37.2 percent, while the country's nickel output expanded by 16.3 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in January this year decreased by 17.8 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 5.15 billion ($492.85 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices increased by 16.9 percent in January compared to December 2013, amounting to ZAR 699.70 million ($66.96 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in January at current prices totaled ZAR 1.40 billion ($133.98 million), up 2.60 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in January this year was down one percent in iron ore sales, up 35.8 percent in nickel sales and up 32.4 percent in manganese ore sales.