According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in March this year the seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in South Africa increased by 0.9 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index rose by 2.3 percent, both month on month. In the given month, South Africa's nickel production was down by 3.9 percent month on month.
On year-on-year basis, in March this year South African iron ore production decreased by 21.4 percent, manganese ore production fell by 24.3 percent, while the country's nickel output was down by 16.6 percent.
Furthermore, the country's seasonally adjusted iron ore sales at current prices in February decreased by 1.5 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 2.69 billion ($172.16 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices was down by 12.4 percent in February compared to January, amounting to ZAR 591.9 million ($37.8 million). South Africa's seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales in February at current prices totaled ZAR 864.3 million ($55.19 million), up 26.4 percent month on month.
The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in February this year was down 31.5 percent in iron ore sales, was down by 11.5 percent in nickel sales and declined by 39.6 percent in manganese ore sales.