SA mining production edges up 0.2% in May, driven by iron ore surge [SOUND]

# Statistics South Africa says mining production rose slightly by 0.2-percent year-on-year in May, driven mainly by a strong performance in iron ore, rising by 12.5-percent. However, output from coal and manganese declined. Mineral sales at current prices jumped by 19-percent year-on-year, driven mainly by a sharp rise in gold sales. Stats SA’s Juan-Pierre Terblanche says sales increased by six-percent from April and showed a four-percent increase over the last three months: