IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Key findings regarding mining production

Mining production decreased by 2,6% year-on-year in May 2018. The largest negative contributors were:

• gold (-16,2% and contributing -2,5 percentage points)
• coal (-4,2% and contributing -1,1 percentage points); and
• manganese ore (-23,0% and contributing -1,1 percentage points).
  PGMs (9,6% and contributing 1,9 percentage points) was a significant positive contributor.

Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 5,0% in May 2018 compared with April 2018. This followed month-on-month changes of -2,5% in April 2018 and -3,0% in March 2018.

Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 2,6% in the three months ended May 2018 compared with the previous three months. Eight out of the twelve mineral groups and minerals reported negative growth rates over this period. Iron ore (contributing -1,6 percentage points) was the largest negative contributor and PGMs (contributing 1,3 percentage points) was the largest positive contributor.

Key findings regarding mineral sales

Mineral sales increased by 15,1% year-on-year in May 2018. The main positive contributors were:

• manganese ore (94,2% and contributing 5,5 percentage points);
• coal (16,5% and contributing 4,7 percentage points);
• PGMs (13,5% and contributing 2,8 percentage points);
• gold (11,2% and contributing 1,9 percentage points); and
• iron ore (19,9% and contributing 1,8 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices increased by 5,2% in May 2018 compared with April 2018. This followed month-on-month changes of 3,5% in April 2018 and -0,6% in March 2018.

In the three months ended May 2018 the seasonally adjusted value of mineral sales at current prices was 0,8% lower compared with the previous three months.