According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in August this year the country's mining production increased by 0.8 percent year on year, while the seasonally adjusted mining production index in August decreased by 1.1 percent compared to July this year.
According to Statistics South Africa, in August the highest year-on-year growth rate in domestic mining production was recorded for iron ore with 23.1 percent, followed by copper with 13.7 percent and by nickel with 13.5 percent.
The iron ore mining production index in August decreased by 0.3 percent from July, while the country's manganese ore production index in August increased by 5.4 percent compared to August 2011 and was up 1.4 percent month on month. On the other hand, South Africa's nickel production index in the month in question increased by 3.3 percent compared to the previous month.
In July this year, the highest year-on-year seasonally adjusted growth rate in sales value in South African mining was recorded for manganese ore with 54.7 percent, followed by nickel with 27.2 percent. The seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales value in July at current prices was ZAR 995.9 million ($115.9 million), rising 15.1 percent month on month, while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices increased by 7.7 percent compared to June, to ZAR 562.2 million ($65.4 million).
Furthermore, the seasonally adjusted iron ore sales value at current prices in July this year decreased by 4.7 percent compared to June, to ZAR 5.5 billion ($640 million). The year-on-year percentage change in iron ore sales at current prices was down 2.1 percent compared to July 2011.