South Africa’s mining sector delivered a stronger-than-expected performance in February, with output rising 9.7% year-on-year as platinum-group metals (PGMs) led a broad-based recovery.

This is according to the latest data from Statistics South Africa.

The increase comfortably exceeded forecasts and was driven primarily by PGMs, where production jumped by more than 50% compared to a year earlier. That surge reflects both higher global prices and a recovery from disruptions caused by flooding in Limpopo in early 2025.

The strength was not limited to platinum. Chromium production rose nearly 30%, while manganese output increased by 17.8%, and gold by 12.8%, signalling a wider upswing across key mining segments.

The value of minerals sold as a whole jumped by 58.3% year-on-year in February, with PGM sales increasing by 132.1% while gold sales increased by a whopping 397.6%. The result is a sector that could once again provide meaningful support to public finances.

However, analysts cautioned that the improvement may prove short-lived. February’s figures do not yet capture the impact of higher fuel prices following the ongoing Iran conflict, which has pushed oil above $100 a barrel and is expected to raise operating costs for miners.

For now, the data point to a booming sector, but the coming months will test whether rising input costs begin to erode those gains.