Over the same period the platinum group metals exports have risen from 5,0 per cent to 9,0 per cent of total visible exports.
The changing fortunes of these sectors were also reflected in employment: the number of jobs in gold mining receded from 476 000 in 1980 to 175 000 in 2004, while in platinum mining it roughly doubled from 77 000 to 151 000 over the same period.