A boost in platinum production has seen the total South African mining output for the three months ended April 2003 undergo a marked rise on the previous three months, according to the latest figures from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA).

StatsSA found that total output had jumped by 4.4 per cent in comparison, with a seasonally adjusted increase of 6.7 per cent in the output of non-gold minerals claiming a large share of responsibility for the increase.

Platinum was cited as one of the major contributors to this rise, which was partially counteracted by a decrease of 2.8 per cent in gold output during the same period.

However, the seasonally adjusted value of mineral sales at current prices for the first quarter of 2003 reflected a decrease of 14.5 per cent compared with the last quarter of 2002.

Again platinum was a major contributor to mineral sales, accounting for 26.8 per cent of the total output.

Mineral sales for the first quarter of 2003 stood at a combined total of R29.625 billion, down by around R4 billion from the corresponding period in 2002.