Production: results for March 2023

Mining production decreased by 2,6% year-on-year in March 2023. The most significant negative contributors were:

·        diamonds (-54,7% and contributing -3,3 percentage points); and

·        PGMs (-9,1% and contributing -2,2 percentage points).

The largest positive contributors were:

·        gold (21,6% and contributing 2,8 percentage points); and

·        manganese ore (23,1% and contributing 1,4 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 6,5% in March 2023 compared with February 2023. This followed month-on-month changes of -7,0% in February 2023 and 3,8% in January 2023.

Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 1,0% in the first quarter of 2023 compared with the fourth quarter of 2022. The largest positive contributors were:

·        gold (4,2% and contributing 0,7 of a percentage point);

·        PGMs (3,1% and contributing 0,7 of a percentage point);

·        iron ore (4,6% and contributing 0,5 of a percentage point); and

·        manganese ore (6,9% and contributing 0,5 of a percentage point).

Mineral sales: results for March 2023

Mineral sales at current prices decreased by 15,1% year-on-year in March 2023. The largest negative contributors were:

·        PGMs (-36,2% and contributing -13,1 percentage points);

·        coal (-23,0% and contributing -6,0 percentage points); and

·        gold (-20,9% and contributing -2,2 percentage points).

Chromium ore (63,0% and contributing 2,2 percentage points) and manganese ore (41,0% and contributing 1,7 percentage points) were significant positive contributors.

Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices decreased by 2,8% in March 2023 compared with February 2023. This followed month-on-month changes of -1,2% in February 2023 and -0,8 in January 2023.

In the first quarter of 2023 the seasonally adjusted value of mineral sales at current prices was 0,2% higher compared with the fourth quarter of 2022.