According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in May this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by 4.7 percent, while the country’s manganese ore production index fell by 2.7 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa’s nickel production fell by 16.0 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in May this year South African iron ore production was up by 48.4 percent, while manganese ore production increased by 39.7 percent. In May, the country’s nickel output fell by 15.0 percent compared to the same month of 2020.
Furthermore, the country’s seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in May this year rose by 13.1 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 12.23 billion ($838.87 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was up by 38.4 percent in the same month compared to April, amounting to ZAR 802.2 million ($55.01 million). South Africa’s seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in May at current prices totaled ZAR 3.24 billion ($222.38 million), up by 13.2 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in the given month was up by 116.0 percent in iron ore sales, up by 38.1 percent in manganese ore sales and rose by 182.3 percent in nickel sales.
