Mining production in South Africa climbed by 4.6% year-on-year in January 2026, following an upwardly revised 2.8% rise in the prior month. Platinum group metals (+10.8%, adding 2.7 points), chromium ore (+37.3%, +1.8 points), and manganese ore (+12.5%, +1.0 point) were the main positive contributors. Gold (0.7%) and diamonds (4.2%) also registered increases. Conversely, output declined significantly for copper (-21.7%); other non-metallic minerals (-21.7%); nickel (-4.3%) and building materials (-4.1%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production rose by 2.9%, the most since May 2025, after an upwardly revised 1.6% drop in the previous month. source: Statistics South Africa

Mining production in South Africa increased 4.60 percent in January of 2026 over the same month in the previous year. Mining Production in South Africa averaged -0.03 percent from 1981 until 2026, 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 March of 2026.

Mining production in South Africa increased 4.60 percent in January of 2026 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
2026-02-12 09:30 AM
Mining Production YoY
Dec 2.5% -2.4% -1.8%
2026-03-12 09:30 AM
Mining Production YoY
Jan 4.6% 2.8% -1.6%
2026-04-14 09:30 AM
Mining Production YoY
Feb 4.6%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bankruptcies 96.00 100.00 Companies Jan 2026
Changes in Inventories -6246.00 17267.00 ZAR Million Dec 2025
Electricity Production 17477.00 18325.00 Gigawatt-hour Dec 2025
Gold Production YoY 0.70 2.00 percent Jan 2026
Manufacturing Production YoY -0.70 -1.50 percent Jan 2026
Manufacturing Production MoM 1.50 -1.30 percent Jan 2026
Mining Production YoY 4.60 2.80 percent Jan 2026


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
4.60 2.80 127.50 -51.60 1981 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
South Africa Mining Activity Picks Up Pace
Mining production in South Africa climbed by 4.6% year-on-year in January 2026, following an upwardly revised 2.8% rise in the prior month. Platinum group metals (+10.8%, adding 2.7 points), chromium ore (+37.3%, +1.8 points), and manganese ore (+12.5%, +1.0 point) were the main positive contributors. Gold (0.7%) and diamonds (4.2%) also registered increases. Conversely, output declined significantly for copper (-21.7%); other non-metallic minerals (-21.7%); nickel (-4.3%) and building materials (-4.1%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, mining production rose by 2.9%, the most since May 2025, after an upwardly revised 1.6% drop in the previous month.
2026-03-12
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