South Africa's Mining Sector Linked to China, an Industrial Info Market Brief

China is South Africa's largest supplier of imports and its biggest buyer of exports, and the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the Chinese economy will certainly be felt in the South African economy. A slow-growing Chinese economy and less metals production will mean less demand for raw materials from South Africa. African mining companies producing lithium, cobalt, copper and iron ore have already noted decreasing demand from China caused by production shutdowns and global supply chain disruptions.

However, it is very difficult to say the cost of impact at present, and Industrial Info is tracking 175 active South African mining projects totaling $20.36 billion. Click here for a list and see graph below for spending by state.