According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in October this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by 6.5 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 4.7 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by 5.5 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in October this year South African iron ore production decreased by 22 percent, while manganese ore production was up by 19.9 percent. In October this year, the country's nickel output rose by 8.8 percent compared to the same month of 2017.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in October this year increased by 2.3 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 4.16 billion ($291 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 5.7 percent in October compared to September, amounting to ZAR 525.9 million ($36.77 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in October at current prices totaled ZAR 3.09 billion ($216 million), down by 21.3 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in October was down by 7.4 percent in iron ore sales, decreased by 23.1 percent in nickel sales and rose by 3.9 percent in manganese ore sales.