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 6.6 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index fell by 24.2 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was down by 10.2 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in July this year South African iron ore production decreased by five percent, manganese ore production rose by 19.3 percent, while the country's nickel output was up by 3.1 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in June this year increased by 0.6 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 3.23 billion ($244.06 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 8.9 percent in June compared to May, amounting to ZAR 550.9 million ($41.69 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in June at current prices totaled ZAR 3.88 billion ($293.87 million), up 85.8 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in June was down 4.5 percent in iron ore sales, was up by 23 percent in nickel sales and rose by 95.4 percent in manganese ore sales.