According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in December last year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa decreased by 2.1 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 12.8 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was up by 2.4 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in December last year South African iron ore production decreased by 17.1 percent, manganese ore production fell by 8.7 percent, while the country's nickel output rose by 15.9 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in November increased by 16.5 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 2.77 billion ($175.44 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 35.5 percent in November compared to October, amounting to ZAR 577.3 million ($36.48 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in November at current prices totaled ZAR 627 million ($39.63 million), down 53 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in November last year was down 39.3 percent in iron ore sales, was up by 10.2 percent in nickel sales and declined by 56.3 percent in manganese ore sales.