Ores and metals exports in South Africa
South Africa: Ores and metals exports was 30.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ores and metals exports in South Africa, 1974–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 30.3% for ores and metals exports in 2025.
The figure is up 4.0% on the previous year and up 30.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ores and metals exports in South Africa peaked at 37.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 1994.
South Africa ranks 18th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Ores and metals exports in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 16.1% | — |
| 1975 | 15.4% | -4.8% |
| 1976 | 19.1% | +24.4% |
| 1977 | 17.8% | -6.7% |
| 1978 | 14.3% | -19.9% |
| 1979 | 13.4% | -6.3% |
| 1980 | 7.0% | -48.0% |
| 1981 | 7.7% | +10.1% |
| 1982 | 7.7% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 7.7% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 8.7% | +12.9% |
| 1992 | 10.1% | +16.2% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | -23.9% |
| 1994 | 6.4% | -16.6% |
| 1995 | 8.0% | +24.7% |
| 1996 | 11.4% | +42.2% |
| 1997 | 8.1% | -28.8% |
| 1998 | 9.5% | +17.1% |
| 1999 | 21.2% | +123.9% |
| 2000 | 10.6% | -49.9% |
| 2001 | 22.8% | +114.5% |
| 2002 | 11.2% | -50.8% |
| 2003 | 19.0% | +69.4% |
| 2004 | 22.0% | +15.5% |
| 2005 | 22.3% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 28.5% | +27.9% |
| 2007 | 29.3% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 29.0% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 29.2% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 28.2% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 28.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 25.3% | -9.8% |
| 2013 | 27.9% | +10.2% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | -13.1% |
| 2015 | 23.3% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 22.1% | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 24.2% | +9.6% |
| 2018 | 25.6% | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 28.5% | +11.1% |
| 2020 | 31.4% | +10.5% |
| 2021 | 37.8% | +20.2% |
| 2022 | 31.5% | -16.5% |
| 2023 | 29.1% | -7.7% |
| 2024 | 29.2% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 30.3% | +4.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 30.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.5%, 8.6× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 30.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 13.3× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Ores and metals exports in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +123.9% | 9.5% | 21.2% |
| 2001 | +114.5% | 10.6% | 22.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.0% | 13.4% | 19.1% | 6 |
| 1980s | 7.7% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 5 |
| 1990s | 10.3% | 6.4% | 21.2% | 8 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 10.6% | 29.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.7% | 22.1% | 28.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.6% | 29.1% | 37.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.3095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ores and metals exports in South Africa?
- Ores and metals exports in South Africa was 30.3% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest ores and metals exports recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 37.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest ores and metals exports recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 1994.
- How does South Africa rank for ores and metals exports?
- South Africa ranks 18th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ores and metals exports rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Ores and metals exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Ores and metals comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 27 (crude fertilizer, minerals nes); 28 (metalliferous ores, scrap); and 68 (non-ferrous metals). Exports of services are services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.