Metal Concentrators – Established 1989

Metcon was established in 1989 by current directors and Bernard and Hilary Stern. Throughout the decades of operation, Metal Concentrators has set the bench mark for Refining in South Africa, and presented innovative and original alloys and master alloys to an industry that was starved of specialist products.

From the beginning, the owners of Metcon made a conscious decision to be involved and committed to the growth of the local jewellery industry. One of the company's directors has been a member of the Jewellery Manufacturers Association (JMA) for the past 19 years and has served on the committee for over 16 years

The dynamic involvement of both Directors has enabled Metcon to be at the forefront of development within the local industry, thereby ensuring that South African jewellers have access to the most up to date equipment and technology.

Accomplishments of Metcon include:

• Being the first company in SA to develop and produce nickel free alloys or alloys that were compliant to the EU Nickel Release standards.
• They were the first refinery to recognise the potential of platinum as a jewellery metal locally and were responsible for initiating and operating an exceptionally successful series of platinum training workshops.
• Metcon were the initiators to the ever popular Platinum Design Competition, known as PlatAfrica This competition is sponsored and supported by Anglo Platinum, Johnson Matthey, and Platinum Guild Intertnational. Its now in its eleventh year, and is part of the curriculum for many of the tertiary training institutions.

During 2004, Metcon decided to expand operations and opened a second refinery in Cape Town. The refinery is now established as an integral part of the Western Cape jewellery industry.

Metcon was required to comply with the provisions of the Mining Charter and ensure that a suitable BEE compliant partner was found to invest in the company. After much investigation, Metcon has concluded a deal with Vukani Ubuntu, in which Vukani obtained a 15% share of Metcon with an option to increase the shareholding.

Recently, Metcon has been the first and only company, thus far, to receive permission by the South African Diamond and Jewellery Regulator, as well as the South African Reserve Bank, to produce and sell minted Bullion bars to South Africans. The minted bars produced are in compliance with SANS 29 of The South African Bureau of Standards and carry the SABS mark of quality assurance

This is the first since 1911 that South Africans will be able to own and physically possess a gold bar without having to obtain authority or a license that enables them to do so. The previous laws regarding possession of a gold bar (unwrought gold) were so draconian that the mere possession of a piece could result in a substantial fine of many thousands of Rands and/or a term of imprisonment. As a result, South Africans could not take advantage of gold as a hedge against either inflation or the depreciation of the Rand until now!