According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in December last year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa increased by 12.6 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index fell by 3.8 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by four percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in December last year South African iron ore production increased by 7.6 percent, manganese ore production rose by 29.5 percent, while the country's nickel output was down by 28.6 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in November increased by 33.5 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 4.33 billion ($330.8 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was up by 18.7 percent in November compared to October, amounting to ZAR 632.4 million ($48.28 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in November at current prices totaled ZAR 2.51 billion ($191.9 million), up 57.3 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in November last year was up 56.7 percent in iron ore sales, was up by 9.5 percent in nickel sales and rose by 294.9 percent in manganese ore sales.