2012 is remembered for the worst tragedy in the history of the country’s mining – the Marikana Massacre. Yet it was in the same year that mining companies made a total income of R408 billion. Statistician-general ,Pali Lehohla revealed this in Pretoria recently during a brief on various figures released by Statistics South Africa, including the quarterly financial statistics for June 2014.
According to Lehohla, Platinum generated the highest income in the sector. It contributed 29% with R117 billion, followed by coal and lignite at 23%, or R96 billion. Iron ore contributed 17% or R68 billion, and gold and uranium ore 16% at R67 billion.
Said Lehohla :“The value of mineral sales for the industry was R377 billion,” he said.
The mining industry had 535 000 people, the bulk of them in the platinum sector.
Other fascinating facts emerged too. The largest number of persons were employed in mines located in the North West.Women made up 12% of employees.