According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in August this year the country's mining production increased by 2.1 percent year on year, while the seasonally adjusted mining production index in August decreased by 1.5 percent compared to July.
The seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in August this year decreased by 0.7 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index declined by 8.6 percent, both compared to July. On the other hand, South Africa's nickel production index rose 5.7 percent in August compared to July. On year-on-year basis, in August this year South African iron ore production fell 12.3 percent, manganese ore production increased by 6.4 percent, while the country's nickel output increased by 17.1 percent.
Furthermore, the seasonally adjusted iron ore sales value at current prices in July this year increased by 7.1 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 4.74 billion ($479.1 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices increased by 3.6 percent in July compared to June, rising to ZAR 754.5 million ($76.3 million). The seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales value in July at current prices was ZAR 1.5 billion ($151.6 million), up 40.3 percent month on month. The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in July this year was up 6.9 percent in iron ore sales, up 31.2 percent in nickel sales and up 51 percent in manganese ore sales.