JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South Africa's gold production fell by 15% to 43 927,8 kg in the first three months of 2010, compared with the 51 681,8 kg produced in the fourth quarter of 2009, the Chamber of Mines (CoM) reported on Wednesday.

On a year-on-year basis, gold production was down by 12,4% in the first quarter of 2010.

The CoM explained that South African gold miners had lost an average of about 18 days of production during the quarter, as the latter part of the Christmas holidays affected production.

South Africa lost its century-old position in 2007 as the top gold producing nation and is now placed behind China and Australia, with the US on its heels.

The South African gold industry has been in a spiral of declining production, as mining grades decline and safety-related stoppages hit the sector.

In 2009, South Africa's gold production declined by 5,8% to 204 922 kg.

Despite the decline in production from South Africa, Africa as a whole still recorded an increase in gold production, thanks to gains in West Africa in particular, precious metals consultancy GFMS said.

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