Mining production in South Africa rose by 2.5% year-on-year in December 2025, following a downwardly revised 2.4% slump in the prior month, with manganese ore (40.4% vs 16.7%) and iron ore (19% vs -7.6%) contributing the most. Output also increased significantly for other metallic minerals (27.3% vs 14.9%), nickel (26.6% vs 3.2%); chromium ore (15.5% vs 0.3%) and other non-metallic minerals (10.4% vs -3.3%). On the other hand, decreases were seen for diamonds (-35.8%), PGMs (-7.7%), coal (-5.7%) and copper (-1.5%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production fell by 1.2%, after a downwardly revised 5.7% decline in the previous month. Total mining production was 0.1% higher in 2025 compared with 2024. source: Statistics South Africa

Mining production in South Africa increased 2.50 percent in December of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. Mining Production in South Africa averaged -0.04 percent from 1981 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 127.50 percent in April of 2021 and a record low of -51.60 percent in April of 2020. This page provides - South Africa Mining Production- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. South Africa Mining Production YoY - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.

Mining production in South Africa increased 2.50 percent in December of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. Mining Production in South Africa is expected to be -1.60 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the South Africa Mining Production YoY is projected to trend around -1.30 percent in 2027 and 1.80 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-01-20 09:30 AM
Mining Production YoY
Nov -2.7% 6.1% 3.9% 4.6%
2026-02-12 09:30 AM
Mining Production YoY
Dec 2.5% -2.4% -1.8%
2026-03-12 09:30 AM
Mining Production YoY
Jan 2.5%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bankruptcies 100.00 126.00 Companies Dec 2025
Changes in Inventories 25742.00 18711.00 ZAR Million Sep 2025
Electricity Production 18379.00 19323.00 Gigawatt-hour Nov 2025
Gold Production YoY 1.10 -6.00 percent Dec 2025
Manufacturing Production YoY -1.40 -2.00 percent Dec 2025
Manufacturing Production MoM -1.20 -2.10 percent Dec 2025
Mining Production YoY 2.50 -2.40 percent Dec 2025


South Africa Mining Production YoY
In South Africa, the index of the volume of mining production is a statistical measure of the change in the volume of production. Coal is the most important sector and accounts for 24 percent of total mining production, followed by PGMs (23 percent); gold (16 percent); iron ore (12 percent); other non-metallic minerals (6 percent); diamonds (4 percent); manganese ore and chromium ore (3 percent each); other metallic minerals, building materials and nickel (2 percent each), and copper (1 percent).
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
2.50 -2.40 127.50 -51.60 1981 - 2025 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
South Africa Mining Output Bounces Back in December
Mining production in South Africa rose by 2.5% year-on-year in December 2025, following a downwardly revised 2.4% slump in the prior month, with manganese ore (40.4% vs 16.7%) and iron ore (19% vs -7.6%) contributing the most. Output also increased significantly for other metallic minerals (27.3% vs 14.9%), nickel (26.6% vs 3.2%); chromium ore (15.5% vs 0.3%) and other non-metallic minerals (10.4% vs -3.3%). On the other hand, decreases were seen for diamonds (-35.8%), PGMs (-7.7%), coal (-5.7%) and copper (-1.5%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production fell by 1.2%, after a downwardly revised 5.7% decline in the previous month. Total mining production was 0.1% higher in 2025 compared with 2024.
2026-02-12
South Africa Mining Output Posts Surprise Decline
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.
2026-01-20
South Africa Mining Output Growth Picks Up in October
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.
2025-12-11