According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in July this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa increased by 7.6 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index decreased by 6.8 percent, both compared to June. On the other hand, in the given month South Africa's nickel production decreased by 8.7 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in June this year South African iron ore production increased by 31.1 percent, manganese ore production increased by 21.7 percent, while the country's nickel output expanded by 5.3 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in June this year increased by 5.3 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 5.16 billion ($470.14 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices decreased by seven percent in June compared to May, amounting to ZAR 749.3 million ($68.28 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in June at current prices totaled ZAR 1.23 billion ($112.12 million), down 7.5 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in June this year was down 1.9 percent in iron ore sales, contracted by 25.2 percent in nickel sales and was up 4.2 percent in manganese ore sales.