According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in February this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa increased by 4.1 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 1.4 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by 4.1 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in February this year South African iron ore production increased by 20.9 percent, manganese ore production rose by 15.7 percent, while the country's nickel output was down by 14.9 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in January this year decreased by 11.1 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 4.44 billion ($333.1 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 38.3 percent in January compared to December, amounting to ZAR 433.6 million ($32.46 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in January at current prices totaled ZAR 2.56 billion ($192.1 million), down 35.2 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in January was up 63.3 percent in iron ore sales, was down by 35.8 percent in nickel sales and rose by 275.2 percent in manganese ore sales.