Johannesburg - South Africa's total mining production grew by four percent last year compared to 2012, Statistics SA said in a report on Thursday.
“The four percent increase in annual mining production followed a decrease of 3.2 percent in 2012 and a decrease of 0.9 percent in 2011,” StatsSA said in its key findings for mining production and sales.
In the fourth quarter of last year, seasonally adjusted mining production increased 4.3 percent from the previous quarter.
The main contributor to this increase was iron ore, which contributed 3.3 percentage points.
“Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices decreased by 2.7 percent in November 2013 compared with October 2013.
“This followed month-on-month changes of 3.3 percent in October 2013 and -8.0 percent in September 2013.”
Mining production increased by 12 percent in December 2013, compared to December the previous year.
The main contributors to this increase were iron ore at 5.8
percent, platinum group metals (PGMs), contributing 3.6 percent, and gold, contributing 1.8 percent.
Mineral sales increased 7.9 percent in November 2013, compared to November 2012.
“The major contributors to the 7.9 percent increase were iron ore (contributing 6.8 percentage points) and PGMs (contributing 4.8 percentage points).”
Gold was a significant negative contributor at -8.0 percent. - Sapa