According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in September this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa increased by 1.8 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index decreased by 0.8 percent, both compared to August. On the other hand, in the given month South Africa's nickel production decreased by 13.9 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in September this year South African iron ore production increased by 38.3 percent, manganese ore production increased by 20.1 percent, while the country's nickel output expanded by 4.9 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in August this year decreased by 27.9 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 3.25 billion ($295.76 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices increased by 0.1 percent in August compared to July, amounting to ZAR 954.5 million ($87.16 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in August at current prices totaled ZAR 1.26 billion ($115.05 million), up 16.4 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in August this year was down 40.7 percent in iron ore sales, increased by 65.9 percent in nickel sales and was down 22.4 percent in manganese ore sales.