Key findings: P2041 - Mining: Production and sales, April 2011

Key findings regarding mining production for April 2011

Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 2,0% for the three months ended April 2011 compared with the three months ended January 2011. The main contributor to the 2,0% increase was PGMs (contributing 1,3 percentage points).

Actual mining production increased by 5,6% for the three months ended April 2011 compared with the three months ended April 2010. A year-on-year increase of 12,4% was recorded in April 2011 compared with a revised 0,2% increase in March 2011.

Key findings regarding mineral sales for March 2011

The seasonally adjusted value of mineral sales at current prices reflected an increase of 9,4% in the first quarter of 2011 compared with the fourth quarter of 2010. The 9,4% (R7 745,3 million) increase was mainly due to increases in the sales value of PGMs (contributing 3,4 percentage points or R2 805,3 million), coal (contributing 2,8 percentage points or R2 279,4 million) and iron ore (contributing 1,0 percentage point or R822,8 million).

The actual value of mineral sales at current prices in the first quarter of 2011 increased by 34,5% compared with the first quarter of 2010. The major contributors to this increase were iron ore (contributing 10,9 percentage points or R6 881,1 million), PGMs (contributing 7,7 percentage points or R4 897,8 million), coal (contributing 6,5 percentage points or R4 131,3 million) and gold (contributing 5,2 percentage points or R3 273,3 million).