South African mining output falls 12.7% in August as mineral sales decline
Statistics South Africa reported an annual fall in mining production and mineral sales for August 2026, with platinum-group metals, coal, iron ore and gold among the main drags.
Event / data period:
Published: · Updated:
Mining production in South Africa fell 12.7% year on year in August 2026, according to Statistics South Africa's preliminary P2041 release published on 13 October. Seasonally adjusted output was 5.4% lower than in July, extending a monthly decline after a 1.9% fall in July.
Platinum-group metals made the largest negative contribution to the annual production change, down 22.5% and subtracting 6.1 percentage points. Coal output fell 11.7% and iron ore 16.2%. Mineral sales at current prices were 15.1% lower than a year earlier; gold sales fell 48.6%, contributing 8.6 percentage points of the total decline. The bulletin identifies these as preliminary monthly estimates.
Data
Changes in mining production and sales in August 2026
Year-on-year and seasonally adjusted changes in Statistics South Africa's preliminary P2041 release.
- Mining production, year-on-year change
- -12.7 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- Mining production, seasonally adjusted month-on-month change
- -5.4 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- PGM production, year-on-year change
- -22.5 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- PGM contribution to total production change
- -6.1 percentage points
- 2026-08 · Observed
- Coal production, year-on-year change
- -11.7 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- Iron ore production, year-on-year change
- -16.2 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- Mineral sales at current prices, year-on-year change
- -15.1 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- Gold sales at current prices, year-on-year change
- -48.6 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- Gold contribution to total mineral sales change
- -8.6 percentage points
- 2026-08 · Observed
- Iron ore sales at current prices, year-on-year change
- -23 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- PGM sales at current prices, year-on-year change
- -7.5 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
- Coal sales at current prices, year-on-year change
- -7.8 percent
- 2026-08 · Observed
Methodology
Values are percentage changes reported for August 2026. Year-on-year comparisons are unadjusted; month-on-month comparisons are seasonally adjusted. Contributions are percentage points. Production volume and mineral sales at current prices are distinct measures; preliminary figures are reproduced at the source's stated precision.
Updated:
Subjects and places
Subject proposals
- Business enterpriseSuggested
- Preserved editorial category/topic; broad candidate onlywww.statssa.gov.za ↗
- CoalSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: coalwww.statssa.gov.za ↗
- Metal and mineral mining and refiningSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: miningwww.statssa.gov.za ↗
Geographic references
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- South Africa · Place role: Coverage · Place type: Country or area · Location precision: RegionalEvidence
- Explicit preserved editorial country/region; no city or national centroid inferredwww.statssa.gov.za ↗