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 24.0 percent, while the country’s manganese ore production index rose by 11.5 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa’s nickel production fell by 30.0 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in February this year South African iron ore production was up by 65.7 percent, while manganese ore production increased by 21.6 percent. In February, the country’s nickel output rose by 7.8 percent compared to the same month of 2020.
Furthermore, the country’s seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in February this year fell by 5.9 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 9.72 billion ($670.40 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was up by 109.5 percent in the same month compared to January, amounting to ZAR 1.31 billion ($90.48 million). South Africa’s seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in February at current prices totaled ZAR 3.35 billion ($230.93 million), up by 57.3 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in the given month was up by 47.0 percent in iron ore sales, up by 39.7 percent in manganese ore sales and rose by 83.3 percent in nickel sales.