Production of platinum group metals (pgms) in South Africa recovered in December after significant year-on-year declines in the previous two months.

Output for the pgm sector was down 0.9 per cent in the final month of last year when measured against December 2010, figures from Statistics South Africa reveal.

This was something of a recovery from the 15.1 per cent y/y fall in November and 18.9 per cent y/y dip in October.

Production of pgms rose 9.3 per cent between November and December 2011.

Overall, mining production in South Africa rose 0.9 per cent in December from 2010 levels, after a revised fall of 4.4 per cent in November.

On a quarter by quarter basis, output was up 0.3 per cent from Q3 to Q4 2011, with eight of the 12 mineral groups contributing positively to this rise. Pgms contributed a negative 1.7 percentage points.

Source:

SA mining output increases (09/02/12)

© Adfero Ltd