According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in May this year the country's mining production decreased by 0.7 percent year on year, while the seasonally adjusted mining production index in May increased by 4.5 percent compared to April, following a month-on-month increase of 2.8 percent in April and a month-on-month fall of 4.6 percent in March.

The seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in May this year increased by 2.3 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index increased by 3.3 percent, both compared to April. On the other hand, South Africa's nickel production index in May rose by 7.1 percent compared to April. On year-on-year basis, in May this year South African iron ore production rose by four percent, manganese ore production surged by 31.9 percent, while the country's nickel output increased by 6.5 percent.

Furthermore, the seasonally adjusted iron ore sales value at current prices in April this year decreased by 3.1 percent compared to the previous month, to ZAR 4.8 billion ($478 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices increased by 8.8 percent compared to March to ZAR 410 million ($41 million). The seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales value in April at current prices was ZAR 1 billion ($102 million), falling 6.3 percent month on month. The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in April this year was up 0.3 percent in iron ore sales, up 12.8 percent in nickel sales and up 39.1 percent in manganese ore sales.