JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South Africa’s total mining output fell 11,5% year-on-year in August, with gold production recording a 2,9% decline and nongold production dropping by 12,7%, official data showed on Thursday.
The seasonally adjusted total mining production declined by 5,8% month-on-month in August, with platinum-group metals contributing 4,3% to the decline, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said.
Mining production for the three months ended August 2009 was down 4,5% compared with the three months ended August 2008.
The total value of mineral sales, meanwhile, also declined by 29,4% to R19,2-billion year-on-year in July.
The estimated value of mineral sales at current prices for the three months ended July had declined by 32,5%, compared with the three months ended July 2008, Stats SA said.
The major contributors to the decline had been PGMs, registering a 17,8% decline, coal recording a 5,8% decline and manganese, which saw a 5,1% decline.
Iron-ore sales had, however, contributed positively to the total value of mineral sales in the three months.
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