Rand Refinery was founded in November 1920 by gold mining companies belonging to the Transvaal Chamber of Mines, built specifically so South Africa's own gold production could be refined domestically in Germiston rather than shipped to London for processing. The refinery became fully operational in December 1921 with an initial annual capacity of 373 tonnes, and began producing large 400 oz gold bars almost immediately — the standard wholesale bar size still used in institutional gold trading today. Its most famous association came decades later: Rand Refinery is the refiner behind the gold used in the South African Krugerrand, introduced in 1967 specifically to promote South African gold internationally.
Rand Refinery holds a geographic distinction no other refiner on this site shares: it's the only LBMA-accredited gold refinery on the entire African continent, and a member of the LBMA's Good Delivery Referee panel — the same elite quality-monitoring status held by Argor-Heraeus and Metalor. Its century-long connection to South African mining output, plus its role refining Krugerrand gold since 1967, gives it a specific historical weight tied directly to one of the best-known bullion coins in the world.
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Start tracking freeYes — it's the only gold refinery on the entire African continent with LBMA accreditation, and it also sits on the LBMA's Good Delivery Referee panel.
Yes — Rand Refinery has refined the gold behind the South African Krugerrand since the coin's 1967 introduction.
It began producing 400 oz gold bars almost immediately after opening in 1921 — the standard large wholesale bar size still used in institutional gold trading, alongside smaller retail-sized bars.