Iron ore and platinum group metals (PGMs) have been responsible for enabling South Africa’s mining industry to demonstrate resilience in 2025, with the latest data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) showing that mining production increased by 4.4% year-on-year in July.

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Iron ore has established itself as the leading contributor to growth with 12.2% year-on-year increase. This reflects both robust iron ore demand and operational improvements at major mining operations.

The country’s iron ore sector has also benefited from infrastructure development projects worldwide that continue to drive steel consumption.

PGMs recorded a 6.2% production increase, maintaining their position as the basis of South Africa’s mining portfolio. The growth in PGMs can be attributed to their expanding industrial applications, particularly in automotive catalytic converters and emerging green technologies.

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The sustained growth trajectory signals a robust recovery in mining, which is a historically significant economic sector that continues to play a vital role in the country’s economic landscape.

The data from Stats SA also reveals that there has been a 1% month-on-month increase in seasonally adjusted mining production, as well as a three-month production growth of 5.8% compared to the previous quarter.

This consistent growth pattern follows month-on-month increases of 0.4% in June and 3.7% in May, suggesting a sustainable recovery instead of temporary spikes in production. The upward trend signals what could be a significant turnaround for the industry.