JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South Africa’s total mining production fell 7,3% year-on-year in June, with gold production down 12,2% year-on-year and nongold production dropping 6,4% year-on-year, official data shows.

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reported on Thursday that the total mining production for the second quarter of the year increased by 4,5%, compared with the first quarter of the year.

Platinum-group metals (PGMs) production was the main contributor to the increase, it added, highlighting that nongold production was 5,8% higher quarter-on-quarter, while gold production was down 4,2% quarter-on-quarter.

However, production in the second quarter of this year fell by 10,7%, compared with production figures for the second quarter of 2008.

Meanwhile, Stats SA reported that the total seasonally adjusted value of mineral sales of R17,9-billion for the three months ended May, declined by 0,8%, compared with the previous three months, owing to a 2,5%, or R1,2-billion, decline in the sale of nongold minerals.

The actual estimated total value of mineral sales for the three months was down 24,1%, compared with the three months ended May 2008.

PGMs sales contributed to 15% of the decline, manganese ore sales to 4,4%, coal to 3,8% and other nonmetallic minerals to 1,7% of the decline.

Iron-ore had made a 3% positive contribution to the change in sales, while gold had made a 1,4% positive contribution.

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