According to Statistics South Africa, South Africa’s annual gold production in 2012 was close to 220 tons, which is a level of gold production not seen since 1922.
South Africa’s gold output fell 11,3% in volume terms in January 2012, while mine output dropped 2,5%.
South Africa as recently as two decades ago was the world’s largest producer of gold by a huge margin. Only 40 years ago South Africa produced more than 1 000 tones of gold a year.
The almost 80% fall in South African gold production has led to it being overtaken by China, Australia and the United States of America. Russia is being seen as next to surpass it.
