The Chamber of Mines of South Africa was founded in 1889, three years after gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand, and came to be the central spokesman for South African mining companies, in gold and other minerals.

Until the 1990s it also handled the recruiting of much of the workforce for the mines, ran the Rand Refinery, and handled many general services from wage negotiation to hospitals for the mining industry.

In the 1990s its role changed to refocus the Chamber as the principal advocate to government on major policy positions agreed by the mining industry. Its direct involvement in industry services, such as the Rand Refinery, ended.

In 2000 its members include six major mining finance houses, other major financial corporations, 36 gold mines, 16 diamond mines, 22 coal mines and other mining companies. It exists primarily to provide strategic support and advisory input to its members. A key activity is the representation of the formalised policy position of its membership to South Africa's national and provincial governments, and to other policy-making organisations within South Africa and internationally.

Specialist resources are also maintained to enable the Chamber to give advice to its members in health and safety, education and training, research and environmental management and gold marketing.

Chamber of Mines of South Africa
PO Box 61809
Marshalltown 2107
South Africa
Tel. +27 11 498 7100
Fax +27 11 834 1884
Web www.bullion.org.za (The web address reflects its historic telegraphic address: bullion johannesburg)

See also: South African Mining Introduction; Rand Refinery; South African Reserve Bank