Mining production in South Africa rose by 9.7% year-on-year in February 2026, following an upwardly revised 5% increase in January. This was the fastest growth in mining output since February 2024, largely reflecting favorable base effects from a weak comparison period.
Strong gains were recorded in several key segments, including platinum group metals (PGMs) (+52.3%), chromium ore (+26.9%), manganese ore (+17.8%), and gold (+12.8%). By contrast, iron ore (-12.4%) and coal (-6.7%) were the main negative contributors.
On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, mining production increased by 2.3% in February, following an upwardly revised 3.7% rise in the previous month. However, seasonally adjusted output declined by 1.7% in the three months to February 2026 compared with the preceding three-month period.
