Mining income was R408bn: Stats SA

Pretoria - The total income for the mining industry in 2012 was R408bn, Statistics SA said on Monday.

"Platinum gives us the highest income in the sector," statistician general Pali Lehohla said in Pretoria.

"Mining was the fifth largest contributor to the GDP."

Platinum contributed 29% with R117bn, followed by coal and lignite at 23%, or R96bn. Iron ore contributed 17% or R68bn, and gold and uranium ore 16% at R67bn.

"The value of mineral sales for the industry was R377bn," he said.

The largest contributor was coal with about R91bn followed by platinum group metals R88bn, gold R67bn and iron ore with R63bn.

All other minerals in the mining industry made up the other R69bn.

The mining industry employed 535 000 people, the bulk of them in the platinum sector.
"The largest number of persons were employed in mines located in the North West."

The North West employed 38% of mineworkers, Mpumalanga 18%, Gauteng 16%, and Limpopo 12%.

The #mining industry employed 535 000 people in 2012 http://t.co/dBv5ZkahUM pic.twitter.com/GoCECfTHOg

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) September 29, 2014

The total expenditure for the mining industry was R318bn. The largest expenditure was purchases with 33%, followed by salaries and wages 22% or about R70bn. Subcontractors and depreciation were both eight percent.

Women made up 12% of employees. The industry with the most women employees was the chemical and fertiliser minerals sector, at 40%.

The mining census covered about 1 500 mines on a list from the mineral resources department and the questionnaires were completed from July 1, 2011 to June 30 2012.

Platinum group metals accounted for 28% of #mining exports in 2012 http://t.co/dBv5ZkahUM pic.twitter.com/Zn7W62v2N1

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) September 29, 2014