According to the preliminary data released on May 10 by Statistics South Africa, in the first quarter this year the country's actual mining production decreased by 9.4 percent compared with the first quarter of 2011, while seasonally adjusted mining production in the first quarter this year decreased by 5.5 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2011.
In South Africa, iron ore mining production in the first quarter of the year increased by 17.5 percent year on year, while the country's manganese ore production volume in the first three months increased by 28.3 percent compared to January-March 2011. On the other hand, South Africa's nickel production in the period in question decreased 9.9 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.
Furthermore, the seasonally adjusted iron ore sales value at current prices in February this year decreased by 3.5 percent compared to January, rising to ZAR 5.3 billion ($655 million), up 14.5 percent compared to February 2011. In February this year, the seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales value at current prices was ZAR 957 million ($118 million), rising 11.6 percent month on month, down 3.85 percent compared to February last year, while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices decreased by 2.9 percent compared to January, to ZAR 537 million ($66 million), down 5.35 percent compared to February 2011.