IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Mining production increased by 6,9% year-on-year in August 2017. The largest positive contributors were:

•  iron ore (9,0% and contributing 1,3 percentage points);
• diamonds (27,7% and contributing 1,2 percentage points); and
• gold (7,7% and contributing 1,1 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 5,3% in August 2017 compared with July 2017. This followed month-on-month changes of 0,5% in July 2017 and -1,0% in June 2017.

Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 1,4% in the three months ended August 2017 compared with the previous three months. Diamonds (contributing 1,0 percentage point) was the largest positive contributor and PGMs the largest negative contributor (contributing -0,6 of a percentage point).

Key findings regarding mineral sales for July 2017

Mineral sales increased by 17,7% year-on-year in July 2017. The main positive contributors were:

• coal (36,3% and contributing 9,5 percentage points);
• manganese ore (116,9% and contributing 4,9 percentage points);
• chromium ore (59,8% and contributing 2,1 percentage points); and
•  'other' metallic minerals (106,2% and contributing 1,8 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices increased by 2,8% in July 2017 compared with June 2017. This followed month-on-month changes of -1,1% in June 2017 and 2,0% in May 2017.