According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in February this year the country's mining production increased by seven percent year on year, while the seasonally adjusted mining production index in February decreased by 2.5 percent compared to January, following respective month-on-month increases of 5.5 percent and 0.2 percent in January this year and December 2012.
The seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in February this year decreased by 6.5 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index decreased by 13.6 percent, both compared to January. On the other hand, South Africa's nickel production index in February decreased by 5.7 percent compared to January. On year-on-year basis, in February this year South African iron ore production fell by three percent, manganese ore production fell by one percent, while the country's nickel output rose by 25 percent.
Furthermore, the seasonally adjusted iron ore sales value at current prices in January this year increased by 10 percent compared to December 2012, to ZAR 5 billion ($552 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices increased by 16.4 percent compared to December to ZAR 523.5 million ($58 million). The seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales value in January at current prices was ZAR 1.25 billion ($138 million), rising 33.3 percent month on month. The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in January this year was down 2.6 percent in iron ore sales, up one percent in nickel sales and up 96.8 percent in manganese ore sales.