Section B

Section B of the SIC 7 classification covers mining and quarrying — the extraction of minerals, ores, coal, oil, gas, stone, sand and other natural resources from the earth. Mining remains one of the cornerstones of the South African economy, and this section lists all 29 SIC codes used to classify mining and extraction businesses for CIPC, SARS, Stats SA, the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) and B-BBEE purposes.

The codes are grouped into divisions covering the mining of coal and lignite, crude petroleum and natural gas extraction, mining of metal ores (including gold, platinum group metals, iron, copper, chrome and manganese), other mining and quarrying activities such as stone, sand, clay and salt extraction, and mining support service activities like drilling, surveying and de-watering.

Each SIC code page on the site provides the official description, the parent division, the SETA allocation — most mining activities fall under MQA, while petroleum refining is covered separately under manufacturing — and links to related OFO occupation codes and NQF qualifications relevant to mining engineers, geologists, rock-breakers, plant operators and safety practitioners.

Use Section B when registering a mining or quarrying business, completing Mine Health and Safety returns, calculating mineral royalties, preparing Social and Labour Plans, or matching workplace skills plans to the correct SETA. Researchers, journalists and analysts will also find this section useful for understanding the structure of South Africa’s extractive industries.