CAPE TOWN: Mining production increased 7.7% year on year in April 2015, Statistics SA data showed on Thursday. The highest positive growth rate was recorded for platinum group metals (PGMs). The increase of 81.6% was partly due to the low base set in April 2014 when the sector was affected by industrial action.
Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased 4.1% in April 2015 compared with March 2015. This followed month-on-month growth of 6.4% in March 2015 and 4.9% in February 2015. Seasonally adjusted mining production increased 5.9% in the three months ended April 2015 compared with the previous three months. The main contributor to the increase was PGMs (contributing 4.6 percentage points).
Mineral sales decreased 1.1% year on year in March 2015. The largest negative contributions to the decrease were made by the following mineral groups and minerals:
Iron ore (-38.7% and contributing -6,9 percentage points),Coal (-5.5% and contributing -1.5 percentage points),Other nonmetallic minerals (-13.3% and contributing -1.2 percentage points); and manganese ore (-16.6% and contributing -0.8 of a percentage point).
PGMs increased 49.1% year on year and were a significant positive contributor (contributing 8.1 percentage points). Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices increased 3.1% in March 2015 compared with February 2015. This followed a month-on-month increase of 3.8% in February 2015 and a decrease of 4.9% in January 2015.
