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 increased by 5.3 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index fell by 17.9 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by 7.6 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in November last year South African iron ore production decreased by 20.4 percent, manganese ore production fell by 14.7 percent, while the country's nickel output rose by 23.2 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in October decreased by 33.62 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 2.28 billion ($175.48 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices were up by 32.75 percent in October compared to September, amounting to ZAR 894.9 million ($54.53 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in October at current prices totaled ZAR 1.13 billion ($68.85 million), up 18.4 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in October last year was down 50.8 percent in iron ore sales, was up by 35.5 percent in nickel sales and declined by 10 percent in manganese ore sales.