According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in April this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by three percent, while the country's manganese ore production index increased by 0.3 percent, both compared to March. On the other hand, in the given month South Africa's nickel production increased by 21.5 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in April this year South African iron ore production rose 6.7 percent, manganese ore production increased by 12.0 percent, while the country's nickel output expanded by 25.2 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in March this year decreased by 7.3 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 5.78 billion ($535.23 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices decreased by 14.5 percent in March compared to February, amounting to ZAR 705.20 million ($65.30 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in March at current prices totaled ZAR 1.34 billion ($124.08 million), up 7.8 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in March this year was up 7.5 percent in iron ore sales, 113.1 percent in nickel sales and up 39.9 percent in manganese ore sales.