Gold production dropped 17.6 percent in December 2008 compared with the same month in 2007, Statistics SA said on Thursday.Mineral production for December fell 10.7 percent year-on-year, the Pretoria-based agency said.
Gold output was hit in early 2008 by the reduction of power to mines by Eskom.
The skills shortage and safety-related mine closures also impacted on production.
South Africa is now in third place in the league of global producers, falling behind both China and the US.
Source : Sapa /jr/gj
Date : 12 Feb 2009 13:15
