According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, in November 2012 the country's mining production decreased by 4.5 percent year on year, while the seasonally adjusted mining production index in November increased by 10.6 percent compared to October 2012, following respective month-on-month decreases of 8.1 percent and seven percent in October and September of last year.

The seasonally adjusted index of iron ore mining production in November last year increased by 38.5 percent, while the country's manganese ore production index increased by 0.8 percent, both compared to the previous month of 2012. On the other hand, South Africa's nickel production index in the month in question increased by 5.4 percent compared to October. On year-on-year basis, in November last year South African iron ore production rose by 5.8 percent, manganese ore production rose by 9.2 percent, while the country's nickel output rose by 17.3 percent.

Furthermore, the seasonally adjusted iron ore sales value at current prices in October 2012 decreased by 6.3 percent compared to September, to ZAR 4.7 billion ($522 million), while the seasonally adjusted nickel sales value at current prices increased by 0.3 percent compared to September to ZAR 599 million ($66.2 million). The seasonally adjusted manganese ore sales value in October at current prices was ZAR 793.4 million ($87.6 million), falling 15.2 percent month on month. The year-on-year percentage change at current prices in October last year was down 10 percent in iron ore sales, up 7.9 percent in nickel sales and up 3.6 percent in manganese ore sales.