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 25.3 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index fell 3.2 percent, both compared to November. On the other hand, South Africa's nickel production index increased by 2.4 percent month on month in December.
On year-on-year basis, in December last year South African iron ore production rose 32.3 percent, manganese ore production increased by 24.6 percent, while the country's nickel output expanded by 20.9 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in November last year increased by 6.6 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 5.77 billion ($528.11 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices increased by 44.3 percent in November compared to October, amounting to ZAR 724.3 million ($66.27 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in November at current prices totaled ZAR 1.21 billion ($110.85 million), up 29 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in November last year was up 60.3 percent in iron ore sales, up 37.9 percent in nickel sales and up 15.8 percent in manganese ore sales.