Key findings regarding mining production

Mining production decreased by 3,1% year-on-year in November 2019. The largest negative contributors were:

·       PGMs (-13,5% and contributing -3,6 percentage points);

·       iron ore (-7,5% and contributing -0,7 of a percentage point); and

·       coal (-2,8% and contributing -0,7 of a percentage point).

‘Other’ non-metallic minerals was a significant positive contributor (20,5% and contributing 1,2 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 3,5% in November 2019 compared with October 2019. This followed month-on-month changes of 1,7% in October 2019 and 0,8% in September 2019.

Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 0,9% in the three months ended November 2019 compared with the previous three months. The two largest negative contributors were manganese ore (-10,6% and contributing -0,8 of a percentage point) and coal (-2,9% and contributing -0,7 of a percentage point). Gold (4,8% and contributing 0,6 of a percentage point) and ‘other’ non-metallic minerals (8,3% and contributing 0,6 of a percentage point) were significant positive contributors.

Key findings regarding mineral sales

Mineral sales increased by 5,8% year-on-year in November 2019. The largest positive contributors were:

·       PGMs (36,5% and contributing 8,4 percentage points);

·       gold (64,0% and contributing 6,7 percentage points); and

·       ‘other’ metallic minerals (52,6% and contributing 1,1 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices increased by 4,4% in November 2019 compared with October 2019. This followed month-on-month changes of 0,2% in October 2019 and 1,6% in September 2019.

In the three months ended November 2019 the seasonally adjusted value of mineral sales at current prices was 3,5% higher compared with the previous three months.