Production: results for February 2023

Mining production decreased by 5,0% year-on-year in February 2023. The largest negative contributors were:

·        coal (-12,6% and contributing -3,7 percentage points); and

·        diamonds (-45,3% and contributing -2,5 percentage points).

Iron ore (30,6% and contributing 3,1 percentage points) was a significant positive contributor.

Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 4,9% in February 2023 compared with January 2023. This followed month-on-month changes of 3,3% in January 2023 and 0,6% in December 2022.

Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 0,3% in the three months ended February 2023 compared with the previous three months. The largest negative contributor was diamonds (-23,9% and contributing -1,1 percentage points). The largest positive contributor was PGMs (4,3% and contributing 1,0 percentage point).

Mineral sales: results for February 2023

Mineral sales at current prices decreased by 6,9% year-on-year in February 2023. The largest negative contributors were:

·        PGMs (-24,1% and contributing -8,3 percentage points);

·        coal (-11,4% and contributing -3,1 percentage points);

·        ‘other’ non-metallic minerals (-29,8% and contributing -1,4 percentage points); and

·        iron ore (-7,4% and contributing -1,0 percentage point).

Chromium ore (128,1% and contributing 3,6 percentage points) and gold (37,8% and contributing 2,1 percentage points) were significant positive contributors.

Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices decreased by 1,2% in February 2023 compared with January 2023. This followed month-on-month changes of -0,6% in January 2023 and 9,2% in December 2022.

In the three months ended February 2023 the seasonally adjusted value of mineral sales at current prices was 0,2% higher compared with the previous three months.