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 0.7 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 13.4 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was down by four percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in February this year South African iron ore production decreased by 32.5 percent, manganese ore production fell by 18.9 percent, while the country's nickel output rose by 16.6 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in January decreased by 10.1 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 2.75 billion ($188.38 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 8.9 percent in January compared to December, amounting to ZAR 675.4 million ($46.1 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in January at current prices totaled ZAR 683.9 million ($46.7 million), down 27.8 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in January this year was down 37.3 percent in iron ore sales, was up by 4.1 percent in nickel sales and declined by 60 percent in manganese ore sales.