According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in November last year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa declined by 4.5 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index remained stable, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by 22.6 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in November last year South African iron ore production increased by 20.7 percent, manganese ore production rose by 3.4 percent, while the country's nickel output was up by 16.2 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in October 2017 increased by 2.8 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 4.5 billion ($366.2 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was up by 49.3 percent in October compared to September, amounting to ZAR 685.7 million ($55.8 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in October at current prices totaled ZAR 2.96 billion ($240.63 million), down 5.7 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in October was up 41.3 percent in iron ore sales, was up by 28.8 percent in nickel sales and rose by 84.6 percent in manganese ore sales.