Annual GDP growth slowed in 2017 compared to 2016, recording year-on-year growth of 2.4% down from 4.3% growth in 2016. Both mining and the non-mining private sector (NMPS) had slower growth during the year.  Mining recorded y-o-y growth of minus 11.2%, significantly lower than minus 3.5% y-o-y growth in 2016. NMPS growth fell from 7.1% to 4.7% during the same period. The slow economic growth is attributable to the closure of the BCL mine in October 2016 which continues to be felt. Copper-nickel output fell by 99.4% y-o-y in 2017, from negative 21.2% growth in 2016.