China's gold output edged up 1.6% year on year to 33.33 mt in March, and jumped 7.3% year on year in the first quarter of 2014 to 96.50 mt, China Gold Association data showed.
The March output was 13.3% higher than that produced in February, according to Platts calculations based on CGA data.
Out of Q1's total output, 79.15 mt was from primary gold mines, up 5.9% year on year, CGA said in its report released Wednesday. The remaining 17.35 mt was by-product from nonferrous metal mines, up 14.5% year on year.
CGA did not indicate China's target output for 2014.
In 2013, China produced 428.16 mt of gold, up 6.2% from 2012.
China's gold consumption reached 322.99 mt in Q1 2014, up 0.8% year on year, according to a separate statement from CGA. Of that total, 232.53 mt comprised gold jewelry, up 30.2% year on year, and 67.95 mt gold bars, down 43.6%.
