According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in September this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by 20.7 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 2.6 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by four percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in September this year South African iron ore production decreased by 7.5 percent, manganese ore production rose by 35.8 percent, while the country's nickel output was up by 12.6 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in August this year increased by 23.7 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 4.57 billion ($325.85 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was up by 48.5 percent in August compared to July, amounting to ZAR 533.8 million ($38 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in August at current prices totaled ZAR 2.36 billion ($168.5 million), down 14.5 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in August was up 14 percent in iron ore sales, was down by 18.5 percent in nickel sales and rose by 127.1 percent in manganese ore sales.