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Sectors · Mining across SADC

Mining in South Africa

Where the mines and projects are, what they produce, the power and corridors they need, and the processing gap.

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Value added by mining and utilities, 2024US$37.5bn10.4% of the economy · 1st largest of 16 in SADC
Real growth-1.5%a year over the last five years, at constant prices
Exports of the pillar's goods, 2024US$80.1bn+30% on five years earlier · 1st in SADC
Deals in the last 12 months26 tracked in South Africa in all

Mining and utilities added US$37.5bn to South Africa's economy in 2024

Value added by mining and utilities, the industries in the national accounts closest to mining, US$, at the prices of each year and at constant 2020 prices (which show real growth)

0$10bn$20bn$30bn$40bn199019921994199619982000200220042006200820102012201420162018202020222024Prices of each yearUS$37.5bnConstant 2020 pricesUS$31.9bn
Source: UN Statistics Division·dotzedw Insights Centre

South Africa has SADC's 1st largest mining and utilities sector

Value added by mining and utilities, US$, latest year, with its share of each economy

South AfricaUS$37.5bn10.4% of the economy
AngolaUS$26.8bn23.4% of the economy
DRCUS$19.8bn28.2% of the economy
TanzaniaUS$8.6bn11.2% of the economy
ZimbabweUS$7.8bn18.0% of the economy
ZambiaUS$4.2bn17.3% of the economy
MozambiqueUS$3.3bn16.5% of the economy
BotswanaUS$2.3bn12.6% of the economy
NamibiaUS$2.3bn18.6% of the economy
MadagascarUS$769m4.8% of the economy
MalawiUS$397m3.5% of the economy
LesothoUS$327m15.9% of the economy
MauritiusUS$258m2.0% of the economy
EswatiniUS$101m2.2% of the economy
SeychellesUS$50m2.8% of the economy
ComorosUS$20m1.3% of the economy
Source: UN Statistics Division·dotzedw Insights Centre

Mineral rents: South Africa against SADC

Mineral rents, % of GDP, latest year for each country. Click a bar for that country's mining page.

0%10%20%30%DRC28.8%Zambia28.2%Zimbabwe4.2%Tanzania4.0%South Africa3.8%Namibia3.2%Botswana0.2%Mozambique0.1%Malawi0.0%Angola0.0%Comoros0.0%Eswatini0.0%Lesotho0.0%Madagascar0.0%Mauritius0.0%Seychelles0.0%median 0.1%

Source: World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

South Africa's trade in mining goods since 2012

Exports and imports of the products in this pillar's subsectors, each product counted once, US$

0$20bn$40bn$60bn$80bn$100bn2012201420162018202020222024ExportsUS$80.1bnImportsUS$5.1bn
Source: CEPII BACI·dotzedw Insights Centre

Subsectors

11 in this pillar

Copper and cobalt in South Africa

Tracks
Mines and projects in the Congolese and Zambian copper belts, output, smelters and refineries, export routes, power demand, export rules.

Select a figure for its trend. Source: CEPII BACI, dotzedw deals tracker.

Trade in detail

South Africa exported US$1.4bn and imported US$289m of copper and cobalt in 2024; exports up 41% on five years earlier, 3.5% of what SADC sells abroad.

South Africa's main exports in this subsector, 2024

Unrefined copper (blister and anodes) (740200)US$428m
Copper ore (260300)US$337m
Refined copper (740311)US$328m
Refined copper (740319)US$239m
Cobalt (intermediates and unwrought) (810520)US$34m

South Africa's trade in copper and cobalt every year since 2012, by partner is part of the Individual plan

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Open these deals in the deals tracker

What South Africa sells abroad across mining

South Africa's exports by subsector, 2024, US$, with its share of SADC's exports. A product can count in two subsectors.

GoldUS$29.0bn77.8% of SADC · +72% on five years earlier
Platinum group metals and chromeUS$26.7bn95.6% of SADC · +63% on five years earlier
Iron ore and manganeseUS$10.2bn99.4% of SADC · -28% on five years earlier
CoalUS$7.4bn68% of SADC · -8% on five years earlier
DiamondsUS$4.4bn34.1% of SADC · +4% on five years earlier
Copper and cobaltUS$1.4bn3.5% of SADC · +41% on five years earlier
Battery and critical mineralsUS$785m29.6% of SADC · +12% on five years earlier
UraniumUS$79m4.1% of SADC · +370% on five years earlier
Source: CEPII BACI·dotzedw Insights Centre

Who is moving

Open in the deals tracker

2 deals in the last 12 months involving South Africa, placed in subsectors by what they say.

Sources and method