Botswana mining production rose 16.7% in Q1, 2014

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Diamond recovery at Jwaneng mine, Botswana.The Index of Mining Production in the first quarter of 2014 stood at 96.2 showing a year-on-year growth of 16.7 percent, the latest release by Statistics Botswana has revealed.

The report titled Indices of the Physical Volume of Mining Production first quarter 2014 showed that diamonds were main contributors at 21.0 percentage points while gold and copper contributed 0.3 and 0.2 percentage points respectively.

“Diamond production grew by 26.0 percent in the first quarter of 2014 as compared to 2013 first quarter. The increase in production was largely due to plant maintenance which was done at Orapa during 2013 first quarter. Production as a result, increased following plant maintenance,” the report showed.

Gold production increased by 25.8 percent from 2013 first quarter to 2014 first quarter. Soda Ash production shows a decline of 11.4 percent in the first quarter of 2014 as compared to 2013 first quarter. The decrease in production was primarily due to plant breakdowns that were experienced at the mine.

Salt production in the first quarter of 2014 indicates a drop of 29.3 percent as compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The decrease in production is mainly due to plant breakdowns that were experienced at the mine.

Silver production started during 2013 first quarter, however the first quarter of 2014 shows a drop of 28.4 percent in production as compared to 2013 first quarter. Coal production decreased by 11.7 percent in the first quarter of 2014. The decline can be attributed to the low offtake at Morupule Power Plant.

However, there were minerals which registered negative contributions to the growth of mining production namely Copper-nickel-cobalt matte with a decline of 4.3 percentage points, Soda ash, Salt and Silver, each contributing a decline of 0.2 of a percentage point.

“Copper-nickel-cobalt matte production shows a decline of 46.8 percent in the first quarter of 2014, when compared to 2013 first quarter. This was primarily due to a drop in both the metal content and ore tonnage,” the release noted.

“Copper production recorded increase of 3.1 percent between the first quarter of 2013 and 2014 first quarter. The increase in production was brought about by improved operational stability.”

The report is the first to be published by Statistics Botswana and is a product of Industry Statistics Section. This report uses 2013 as a reference year. Data used in this publication is sourced from the Department of Mines at Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources.

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