According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in November last 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 fell by 10.8 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa’s nickel production fell by 1.6 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in November last year South African iron ore production was up by 9.3 percent, while manganese ore production increased by one percent. In November, the country’s nickel output fell by 12.8 percent compared to the same month of 2020.
Furthermore, the country’s seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in November last year fell by 9.5 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 6.75 billion ($442.54 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was up by 21.8 percent in the same month compared to October, amounting to ZAR 1.04 billion ($68.48 million). South Africa’s seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in November at current prices totaled ZAR 2.86 billion ($188.10 million), down by 24.5 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in the given month was down by 14.5 percent in iron ore sales, down by 17.8 percent in manganese ore sales and rose by 30.9 percent in nickel sales.