Latest News Stream - Mining Production

Mining production in South Africa plummeted by 12.7% year-on-year in August 2026, following a revised 7% decline in the prior month. This marked the fourth consecutive month of downturn and the steepest annual drop since October 2022, primarily due to reduced output from PGMs (-22.5%); iron ore (-16.2%) and coal (-11.7%). Significant declines were also recorded for diamonds (-41.1%); nickel (-32.2%); other metallic minerals (-12.5%); other non-metallic minerals (-11.2%); copper (-7.3%) and gold (-5.7% ). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production shrank by 5.4%, after decreasing by 1.9% in the previous month. Mining production slumped by 5.2% in the three months ended August 2026 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa plunged by 7.5% year-on-year in July 2026, after an upwardly revised 4.3% drop in June and worse than analysts' forecasts of a 2.8% slump. The latest decline extended South Africa’s mining downturn to three consecutive months and was the sharpest since February 2025. The industry continues to face structural constraints, including logistics bottlenecks, high operating costs, ageing mines and weaker demand for some commodities like iron ore and coal. Output declined across almost all categories, with platinum group metals (PGMs) (-13.5%), coal (-7.5%) and iron ore (-8%) making the largest negative contributions. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production shrank by 1.9%, after a downwardly revsied 0.1% increase in the month before. Mining production slipped by 5.5% in the three months ended July 2026 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa fell by 4.4% year-on-year in June 2026, following a downwardly revised 5.1% drop in May. The largest negative contributors were PGMs, down 8.4% and weighing 2.4 percentage points, followed by coal (-6.6%; -1.7 points) and iron ore (-10.2%; -1.5 points). Conversely, output increased for manganese ore (13.3% vs 10.1%); chromium ore (8.6% vs 10.3%); gold (6.2% vs -4.4%) and building materials (2.5% vs -8.8%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production rose by 0.3%, rebounding from a 5.2% decline in the preceding month. Mining activity shrank by 2.7% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the first quarter of 2026.

Mining production in South Africa slipped by 5.4% year-on-year in May 2026, following a downwardly revised 8% jump in April and worse than the expected 1.5% rise. The decline marked the first contraction in mining activity in six months and the steepest since February 2025. Iron ore was the largest negative contributor, declining 12.7% and subtracting 2.1 percentage points, followed by coal (-6.1%; -1.5 percentage points) and platinum group metals (PGMs), which fell 4.4%. Also, output decreased sharply for diamonds (-17.8%); other metallic minerals (-17.6%); nickel (-16.5%); copper (-14.3%) and other non-metallic minerals (-8.9%), while rising for manganese ore (8.7%) and chromium ore (8.5%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output dropped by 5.2% in May, the most since November 2025, after a downwardly revised 3.1% advance in the month before. Mining production shrank by 1.7% in the three months ended May 2026 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa climbed by 8.2% year-on-year in April 2026, following a 2.5% rise in the prior month, mainly due to a weak base of comparison. This marked the fifth consecutive month of growth in mining activity, largely supported by PGMs (+36.5%), manganese ore (+19%) and chromium ore (+17.5%). By contrast, output declined for coal (-5.8%); copper (-13.1%), other metallic minerals (-16%); diamonds (-17.1%) and other non-metallic minerals (-4.8%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output rose by 3.3%, after a downwardly revised 4.8% decline in the preceding month. Mining production increased by 2.4% in the three months ended April 2026 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa rose by 2.5% year-on-year in March 2026, following a 9.7% jump in the prior month and below market forecasts of a 4.1% advance. This marked the slowest mining growth in the current four-month stretch, with activity easing across key segments including PGMs (10.5% vs 52.3% in February), manganese ore (14.4% vs 27.8%) and nickel (10.5% vs 29.6%). Moreover, production fell for copper (-35.8% vs -42.7%); other non-metallic minerals (-16.8% vs -13.2%); coal (-9.6% vs -6.7%); other metallic minerals (-9.5% vs -0.1%); diamonds (-8.5% vs 13.1%) and iron ore (-2.7% vs -12.3%). Conversely, gold output picked up (17.1% vs 12.8%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production slipped by 5.1%, after an upwardly revised 3% rise in the prior month. Mining output increased by 0.6% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the fourth quarter of 2025.

Mining production in South Africa surged by 9.7% year-on-year in February 2026, following an upwardly revised 5% rise in the prior month. This marked the strongest pace of growth in mining activity since February 2024, mainly driven by favorable base effects from a weak comparison base. Notable increases were seen for PGMs (+52.3%); chromium ore (+26.9%) manganese ore (+17.8%) and gold (+12.8%). On the other hand, iron ore (-12.4%) and coal (-6.7%) were the largest negative contributors. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production rose by 2.3%, after an upwardly revised 3.7% advance in the previous month. Seasonally adjusted mining production shrank by 1.7% in the three months ended February 2026 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa shrank by 2.7% over a year ago in November 2025, following an upwardly revised 6.1% rise in the prior month and defying market forecasts of a 3.9% advance. This was the first decline in mining activity since April last year. The biggest drags were coal (-7.9%, -2.1 points), iron ore (-7.6%, -1.1 points), PGMs (-2.8%, -0.8 points), and gold (-6.0%, -0.5 points). By contrast, output increased markedly for diamonds (27.9%, +0.4 points), manganese ore (17%, +0.3 points) and other metallic minerals (14.9%, +1.1 points). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production plunged by 5.9% in November, after an upwardly revised 2.7% rise in the previous month. Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 1.6% in the three months ended November 2025 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa surged by 5.8% over a year ago in October 2025, following an upwardly revised 1.4% rise in the prior month. This marked the sixth consecutive month of growth in industrial activity and the strongest since February 2024. The main positive contributors were iron ore (+24.8%, adding 2.9 percentage points), PGMs (+3.9%, 1.1 points), manganese ore (+15.1%, 1.0 points), and chromium ore (+14.1%, 0.8 points). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production rose by 2.1%, after an upwardly revised 2.6% advance in the previous month.

Mining production in South Africa rose by 1.2% over a year ago in September 2025, following a revision of August’s data to show no change and better than analysts' estimates of a 0.4% fall. The main positive contributors were PGMs (+3.8%, +1.1 points), gold (+5.9%, +0.6 points), and coal (+1.5%, +0.4 points). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output advanced 2.2%, the most since May, after a revised 0.9% decrease in the prior month. Mining production increased by 2.5% in the third quarter of 2025 compared with the second quarter of 2025.

Mining production in South Africa fell by 0.2% over a year ago in August 2025, following a 5.1% advance in the prior month and defying market estimates of a 1% rise. This marked the first decline in mining activity since April, largely on account of PGMs (-3%, contributing -0.9 percentage points); gold (-3.6%, contributing -0.4 percentage points); and manganese ore (-3.4%, contributing -0.3 percentage points). Conversely, the biggest increases were seen for diamonds (+29.6%); other metallic minerals (+19.1%) and coal (+4.1%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output decreased by 1.2% in August, after an upwardly revised 1.2% rise in the previous month. Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 3.3% in the three months ended August 2025 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa rose by 4.4% over a year ago in July 2025, accelerating from an upwardly revised 2.5% increase in May and overshooting market forecasts of a 3.2% growth. This marked the third consecutive month of increases in mining activity and the strongest since last September, with iron ore (+12.2%), PGMs (+6.2%), and other metallic minerals (+45.8%) making the largest contributions. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output rose by 1% in July, after an upwardly revised 0.4% increase in the prior month. Seasonally adjusted mining production advanced by 5.8% in the three months ended July 2025 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa rose by 2.4% over a year ago in June 2025, accelerating from an upwardly revised 0.3% increase in May and marking the second consecutive month of growth. Figures exceeded market estimates of a 1.4% advance. The largest positive contributors were PGMs, which rose 3.0% and contributed 1.0 percentage point; coal, up 3.7% and contributing 0.8 percentage point; and chromium ore, which increased by 9.0%, adding 0.5 percentage point to overall growth. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output went up by 0.2%, after an upwardly revised 3.9% surge in the month before. Mining production grew by 3.9% in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the first quarter of 2025.

Mining production in South Africa rose by 0.2% over a year ago in May 2025, rebounding slightly after a sharp 7.7% decline in April and ending a six-month streak of contraction. Iron ore was the biggest positive driver, rising 12.5% (vs +7.4% in April) and contributing 1.7 percentage points. Output also increased significantly for nickel (19.1% vs -21.9%); other metallic minerals (11.4% vs 16.5%) and diamonds (7.7% vs 10%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output rose by 3.7% in May, after a revised flat reading in the previous month. Mining production increased by 2.6% in the three months ended May 2025 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa slipped by 7.7% over a year ago in April 2025, following a revised 2.5% decline in the prior month and more than an expected 4.3% drop. The latest reading pointed to the sixth consecutive month of downturn in the country's sector, and at a solid pace, led by PGMs (-24.1% vs -9.9% in March), nickel (-21.9% vs -0.3%) and copper (-9.5% vs 3.2%). Output also decreased for building materials (-6.1% vs -1-1%); other non-metallic minerals (-5.2% vs 8.9%); gold (-2.5% vs -11.1%) and coal (-1.7% vs 1.2%). Conversely, the biggest increases were seen for other metallic minerals (16.5% vs 4.4%); diamonds (10.1% vs 1.4%) and iron ore (5.3% vs 7.5%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output rose by 0.6% in April, after an upwardly revised 3.6% advance in the prior month. Mining production shrank by 2.7% in the three months ended April 2025 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa shrank by 2.8% over a year ago in March 2025, following a 9.7% plunge in the prior month. The latest reading pointed to the fifth consecutive month of downturn in the country's sector, although much softer than in February, as output fell less for PGMs (-9.9% vs -24.3% in February), building materials (-8.7% vs -11.8%) and nickel (-0.3% vs -2.1%). Meanwhile, production rebounded for iron ore (7.5% vs -10.7%); chromium ore (5.4% vs -5.3%); diamonds (1.4% vs -12.7%); coal (0.8% vs -4.3%) and other non-metallic minerals (0.7% vs -4.2%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output rose 3.5% in March, after a revised 4.1% decline in the previous month. Mining production dropped by 4.5% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the fourth quarter of 2024.

Mining production in South Africa plummeted by 9.6% over a year ago in February 2025, following a a revised 1.5% drop in the prior month, thus extending the sector's downturn into a fourth month. This was the steepest decline since November 2022, largely on account of PGMs (-23.9%), iron ore (-10.5%), gold (-7.6%) and coal (-4.3%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining output slipped by 4.4%, following a revised flat reading in the prior month. Seasonally adjusted mining production shrank by 6.7% in the three months ended February 2025 compared with the previous three months.

Mining production in South Africa shrank by 2.7% over a year ago in January 2025, following a 2.4% decrease in the previous month. This extends a three-month downward trend and marks the steepest decline since June 2024. The largest negative influences came from iron ore (-15.1% vs 1.2% in December), PGMs (-3.8% vs -7.2%) and coal (-4.4% vs 2.6%). Conversely, notable increases were observed for other non-metallic minerals (+25.3% vs +9.3%); manganese ore (+21.2% vs +8.7%); copper (+14.6% vs +1.5%); nickel (+11.4% vs -10.3%) and diamonds (+10.4% vs -13.4%). At the same time, output rebounded for gold (1% vs -8.4%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production dropped by 1.2% in January, following a revised 3.7% slump in the prior month.