MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                                                                                                         29 March 2017

Mining industry, 2015

Statistics South Africa presents the Mining industry, 2015 results.

Income

The total income for the mining industry has increased by 2,2% per annum, from R393,4 billion in 2012 to R419,5 billion in 2015. Comparing 2012 and 2015, large increases were reported for ‘coal and lignite’ (+R21,9 billion), ‘manganese’ (+R6,8 billion) and ‘diamonds, including alluvial diamonds’ (+R6,4 billion). However, large decreases were reported for ‘platinum group metal ore’ (-R15,5 billion), ‘iron ore’ (-R7,4 billion) and ‘gold and uranium ore’ (-R3,3 billion).

Mpumalanga had the largest income from sales of goods in the mining industry in 2015 with R114,4 billion (or 28,8% of the industry total). The province with the second largest income from sales of goods was ‘North West’ (R84,7 billion or 21,3%), followed by ‘Northern Cape’ (R69,5 billion or 17,5%), ‘Limpopo’ (R45,3 billion or 11,4%) and Gauteng (R44,9 billion or 11,3%). North West had the largest income in 2012, followed by Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and Gauteng.

Employment

Total employment (mine employees, employees of subcontractors and employees through labour brokers) in the mining industry declined from 538 000 in 2012 to 490 000 in 2015 (a loss of 48 000 jobs). The biggest losses in jobs were recorded in ‘mining of gold and uranium ore’ (a loss of 40 000 jobs), followed by ‘mining of platinum group metal ore’ (a loss of 7 800 jobs) and ‘other stone quarrying, including stone crushing and clay and sandpits’ (a loss of 4 500 jobs). There were small gains for ‘coal and lignite’ (6 000 jobs) and ‘diamonds, including alluvial diamonds’ (3 500 jobs).

The number of mine employees decreased from 378 000 in 2012 to 353 000 in 2015 (a drop of 25 000 jobs). The worst provinces in terms of mine jobs lost were North West (28 500) and Gauteng (16 000). However, Mpumalanga and Limpopo gained 13 000 and 5 000 mine jobs, respectively.
In terms of mine employees, North West was still the largest contributor to persons working in the mining industry (133 000 or 37,8%), followed by Mpumalanga (78 500 or 22,2%), Gauteng (54 000 or 15,2%) and Limpopo (37 000 or 10,5%). In 2012, North West was followed by Gauteng and then Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

The full statistical report is available on the Statistics South Africa website: www.statssa.gov.za
Ends.

Issued by Statistics South Africa

Technical enquiries:

Mr Joe de Beer
Deputy Director-General: Economic Statistics
Tel: 012 310 8024
Cell: 082 888 2600
Email: JoeDB@statssa.gov.za

Mr Itani Magwaba
Chief Director: Structural Industry Statistics
Tel: 012 337 6254/6471
Email: ItaniM@statssa.gov.za

Mr Stanley Mashego
Deputy Director: Structural Industry Statistics
Tel: 012 337 6252
Email: StanleyMA@statssa.gov.za

Media enquiries:
Ms Lesedi Dibakwane
Director: Media Relations
Tel: 012 310 8578
Cell: 082 805 7088
Email: LesediD@statssa.gov.za