safety

The South African Mint recognizes its responsibility towards the African environment. We will always be fully dependent on the availability of natural resources and have implemented a variety of systems to fulfill our environmental obligations and contribute to sustainability.

The new Constitution of the Republic of South Africa includes the fundamental right of every person “to an environment that is not harmful to his or her health or well-being”. The South African Mint has ISO 14001 status and despite the presence of potentially hazardous substances and processes; the site is already recognized as a safe and ergonomically friendly environment.

Testimony to the South African Mint’s environmental commitment may be seen in the following systems:

  • Advanced fume scrubbing at the electroplating plant
  • Effluent processing equipment
  • Cyanide destruction plant
  • Frequent effluent analysis on the quality of effluent that leaves the premises to assess compliance with municipal standards
  • Regular visits by noise and air pollution consultants to ensure that pollution levels do not exceed internationally accepted minimums
  • Development of a natural wildlife garden with various birds such as ducks, geese, springbok and other antelope. Special attention has also been paid to ensuring that the trees and flowers that have been introduced to the garden are indigenous to South Africa.

Quality

The South African Mint was certified as an ISO 9001:2000 listed company in 2001. This international quality listing once again illustrates the Mint’s commitment to the supply of quality products and services on a consistent basis.

Advantages of the ISO 9001 system include:

  • Improved product quality
  • Added competitive edge for the South African Mint
  • Improved management efficiency
  • Improved customer service and care
  • Decreased faulty product return
  • A work culture of continuous improvement

Through the South African Mint’s ISO 9001 now upgraded to ISO 9001:2015 quality certification, each customer is assured that the chemical, metallurgical and metrological laboratories support the production processes that apply to each product or service. We have been further certified with ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 14001:2015
All analytical standards are traceable to recognized international standards. The quality centers are also involved in product and process development projects.

Laboratory

A well-equipped laboratory is in operation at the South African Mint with the following:

  • Inductively coupled plasma spectrometer (ICP)
  • Optical emission spectrometer (OES)
  • X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF)
  • Atomic Absorption spectrometer (AA)
  • Carbon/sulfur analyzer
  • 50 kN (static) universal tensile tester
  • Rockwell and Vickers hardness testers
  • Surface thickness measurement instruments
  • Metallographic examination optical microscopes
  • Wet chemistry instrumentation (pH and conductivity)
  • Cyanide analyzer

Specialist analytical analysis and support are available with the following analysis and materials: Copper and copper alloys

  • Gold and silver metals and alloys
  • Steel and tool steel products
  • Plating solutions
  • Analysis of effluent water