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 seven percent, while the country's manganese ore production index increased by five percent, both compared to the previous month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by 6.1 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in May this year South African iron ore production decreased by 13.4 percent, manganese ore production rose by 17.4 percent, while the country's nickel output increased by one percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in April decreased by 3.9 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 3.46 billion ($78.62 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices were up by 34.2 percent in April compared to March, amounting to ZAR 856.5 million ($68.93 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in April at current prices totaled ZAR 1.12 billion ($90.19 million), up 1.4 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in April this year was down 39.4 percent in iron ore sales, was up by 41.6 percent in nickel sales and declined by 23.3 percent in manganese ore sales.