According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in August this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa increased by 4.4 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 6.7 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by 20.3 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in August this year South African iron ore production declined by 19.9 percent, while manganese ore production was up by 0.2 percent. In August this year, the country's nickel output fell by 18.0 percent compared to the same month of 2017.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in August this year increased by 46.7 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 4.63 billion ($320.86 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was up by 23.7 percent in August compared to July, amounting to ZAR 707.5 million ($48.96 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in August at current prices totaled ZAR 3.48 billion ($240.96 million), down by one percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in August was up by 1.7 percent in iron ore sales, increased by 30.8 percent in nickel sales and rose by 47.2 percent in manganese ore sales.