South Africa’s mining output fell 4.9% compared with last year due to declines in platinum group metals (PGMs), Statistics South Africa revealed.

Mining production for the three months ended 30 June stood 6.7% lower than the first-quarter output.

The report said that production of PGMs fell 19.3% in June, partly because of seasonal maintenance of smelters.

However, the production of diamonds, iron-ore and manganese-ore increased in due to the recovery of global demand.

Estimated total mining production for the second quarter of 2010 fell by 3.5% year-on-year.