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 15.0 percent, while the country’s manganese ore production index fell by 4.8 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa’s nickel production rose by 2.7 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in July this year South African iron ore production was up by 42.9 percent, while manganese ore production increased by 15.8 percent. In July, the country’s nickel output fell by 29.4 percent compared to the same month of 2020.
Furthermore, the country’s seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in July this year fell by 4.4 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 11.62 billion ($810.46 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 72.3 percent in the same month compared to June, amounting to ZAR 224.8 million ($15.67 million). South Africa’s seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in July at current prices totaled ZAR 3.14 billion ($219.34 million), up by 32.4 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in the given month was up by 71.0 percent in iron ore sales, down by 13.2 percent in manganese ore sales and fell by 63.9 percent in nickel sales.