Mining production decreases in May

Mining production decreased by 1.5% year-on-year in May 2019, Statistics SA announced on Thursday.

The largest negative contributors were gold (-24.4%); diamonds (-30.7%); iron ore (-5.2%); and "other" metallic minerals (-9.8%).

• Subscribe to Fin24’s newsletter here

The largest positive contributor was coal (8.0%). Platinum Group Metals (6.8%) and manganese ore (29.3%) also made positive contributions.

Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 3.0% in May 2019 compared with April 2019. This followed month-on-month changes of -1.8% in April 2019 and 3.9% in March 2019.

Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 2.2% in the three months ended May 2019 compared with the previous three months. The largest positive contributor was coal (4.3%).

Mineral sales

Mineral sales increased by 10.7% y/y in May 2019.

The largest positive contributors were Platinum Group Metals (37.9%); iron ore (68.6%); "other" non-metallic minerals (34.2%); and coal (3.8%).

Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices decreased by 0.9% in May 2019 compared with April 2019. This followed month-on-month changes of 1.5% in April 2019 and 8.2% in March 2019.