Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reports that the country’s mining production increased by 2.5% year-on-year in March, with platinum group metals (PGMs), gold and manganese ore having made the largest positive contributions.
According to Stats SA’s production results for March, PGM production increased by 10.5%, contributing 2.6 percentage points, while gold production increased by 17.1% and contributed 1.6 percentage points.
Manganese ore production increased by 14.4% and contributed 1.1 percentage points.
Coal was the largest negative contributor, with production having declined by 9.6%, contributing -2.5 percentage points.
Stats SA reports that seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 5.1% month-on-month in March. This followed month-on-month changes of 3% in February and 3.5% in January.
Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 0.6% in the first quarter of this year, compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, with the largest positive contributors having been PGMs and gold.
PGM production for the period increased by 8.5% and contributed 2.3 percentage points, while gold production increased by 8.2% and contributed 0.7 of a percentage point.
Iron-ore and coal were the largest negative contributors for the quarter. Iron-ore production decreased by 6.6%, contributing -1 percentage points, while coal production decreased by 3.4% and contributed -0.8 of a percentage point.
Meanwhile, Stats SA reports that mineral sales at current prices increased by 30.2% year-on-year in March, with the largest positive contributors having been PGMs, gold and chromium ore.
PGM sales increased by 113.5%, contributing 21 percentage points, while gold sales increased by 51.7% and contributed 8.2 percentage points and chromium ore sales increased by 38.6% and contributed 2.9 percentage points.
Iron-ore, however, was the largest negative contributor, with sales having decreased by 18.7%, contributing -2.5 percentage points.
Stats SA notes that seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices decreased by 8.6% month-on-month in March. This followed month-on-month changes of 9% in February and -8.4% in January.
Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices increased by 6.6% in the first quarter of this year, compared with the fourth quarter of 2025. Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
