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 declined by 40 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index decreased by 50.7 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production fell by 75.4 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in April this year South African iron ore production was down by 68.7 percent, while manganese ore production decreased by 57.6 percent. In April, the country's nickel output dropped by 85 percent compared to the same month of 2019.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in April this year fell by 28.2 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 5.22 billion ($304.9 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 96.8 percent in the same month compared to March, amounting to ZAR 17.1 million ($999,745). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in April at current prices totaled ZAR 1.16 billion ($67.76 million), down by 51.1 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in the given month was down by 25.9 percent in iron ore sales, down by 71.6 percent in manganese ore sales and fell by 97 percent in nickel sales.