According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in September this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa declined by 2.2 percent, while the country’s manganese ore production index decreased by 3.5 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa’s nickel production rose by 8.6 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in September this year South African iron ore production was down by 30.5 percent, while manganese ore production increased by 4.8 percent. In September, the country’s nickel output rose by 21 percent compared to the same month of 2019.
Furthermore, the country’s seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in September this year rose by 13.4 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 9.68 billion ($627.36 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was up by 32.4 percent in the same month compared to August, amounting to ZAR 751.8 million ($48.74 million). South Africa’s seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in September at current prices totaled ZAR 4.15 billion ($269.17 million), up by 26.6 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in the given month was up by 87.5 percent in iron ore sales, down by 21.4 percent in manganese ore sales and rose by 24.3 percent in nickel sales.