According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in July this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by 22.9 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index fell by 1.4 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was down by 25.4 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in July this year South African iron ore production declined by 17.4 percent, while manganese ore production was up by 15.6 percent. In July this year, the country's nickel output fell by 22.7 percent compared to the same month of 2017.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in July this year decreased by 8.1 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 3.16 billion ($215.53 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by eight percent in July compared to June, amounting to ZAR 571.9 million ($38.99 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in July at current prices totaled ZAR 3.52 billion ($240 million), down by 23.4 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in July was down by 14.2 percent in iron ore sales, increased by 59.8 percent in nickel sales and rose by 26.6 percent in manganese ore sales.