Gold contributes the least
GAZETTE REPORTER
Botswana’s Index of Mining Production stood at 95.5 percent during the third quarter of 2021, showing a year-on-year growth of 31.8 percent from 72.5 percent registered during the third quarter of 2020, a recent report by Statistics Botswana shows.
According to the report titled Index of the Physical Volume of Mining Production Third Quarter 2021, the main contributor to the increase in mining production was diamonds at 31.2 percent.
The report shows that diamond production increased by 1, 584 million carats from 4, 916 million carats during the third quarter of 2020 to 6, 500 million carats during the same quarter of 2021.
“The increase was a result of planned strategy to align production with stronger trading conditions,” says the report. “Similarly, the quarter-on-quarter analysis shows that production registered an increase of 11.6 percent (673 million carats during the third quarter of 2021 compared to the 5, 827 million carats during the second quarter of 2021.”
The Statistics Botswana report states that Soda Ash production rose by 81.7 percent (29,312 tonnes) from 35, 883 tonnes during the third quarter of 2020 to 65,195 tonnes in the same quarter of the current year.
“The quarter-on-quarter analysis shows that production went up by 12.5 percent (7,233 tonnes) during the period under review, from 57,962 tonnes during the previous quarter,” it says. “The increase in production is attributable to the effectiveness of the plant following refurbishment which occurred in the third quarter of 2020.”
Salt production went up by 86.1 percent (78,566 tonnes) to 169,826 tonnes during the third quarter of 2021, from 91,261 tonnes during the same quarter of the previous year. Similarly, the quarter-on-quarter analysis shows that salt production registered an increase of 66.9 percent (68,050 tonnes) compared to 101,776 tonnes during the second quarter of 2021.
Coal production increased by 1.0 percent (5,434 tonnes) from 543,793 tonnes during the third quarter of 2020 to 549,227 tonnes in the current quarter. Statistics Botswana says the slight increase came as a result of the efforts made to meet both domestic and international high demand, particularly that new markets have been identified.
Gold was the only negative contributor to mining production at negative 0.4 of a percentage point after production decreased by 26.9 percent (65 kilograms) during the third quarter of 2021, from 241 kilograms during the same quarter of the previous year to 176 kilograms currently.
“The quarter-on-quarter analysis reflects a decrease of 5.5 percent (10 kilograms) to 176 kilograms during the third quarter of 2021, compared to 186 kilograms in the preceding quarter,” says the report. “The decrease was a result of the deteriorating lifespan of the mine.”
Copper-Nickel-Cobalt Matte recorded zero production during the period under review because affected mines are still under provisional liquidation.