IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Mining production decreased by 8,4% year-on-year in March 2018. The largest negative contributors were:

• gold (-18,0% and contributing -2,5 percentage points);
• PGMs (-6,1% and contributing -1,5 percentage points);
• diamonds (-24,7% and contributing -1,2 percentage points); and
• iron ore (-8,9% and contributing -1,2 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 3,4% in March 2018 compared with February 2018. This followed month-on-month changes of 0,5% in February 2018 and 1,6% in January 2018.

Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 2,5% in the first quarter of 2018 compared with the previous quarter. Ten out of the twelve mineral groups and minerals reported negative growth rates over this period. PGMs (contributing -0,6 of a percentage point), iron ore (contributing -0,4 of a percentage point), copper (contributing -0,4 of a percentage point) and 'other' non-metallic minerals (contributing -0,4 of a percentage point) were the largest negative contributors.

Key findings regarding mineral sales

Mineral sales increased by 0,1% year-on-year in March 2018. Manganese ore (70,8% and contributing 3,9 percentage points), coal (14,6% and contributing 3,9 percentage points) and 'other' metallic minerals (97,3% and contributing 1,7 percentage points) were the main positive contributors.

Iron ore (-28,2% and contributing -3,7 percentage points), chromium ore (-42,5% and contributing -2,9 percentage points) and gold (-12,9% and contributing -1,8 percentage points) were significant negative contributors.

Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices decreased by 1,2% in March 2018 compared with February 2018. This followed month-on-month changes of -4,2% in February 2018 and -3,8% in January 2018.

In the first quarter of 2018 seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices was 7,9% lower compared with the fourth quarter of 2017.