SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company –has recently opened a new geochemistry mobile sample preparation unit in Mokopane, Limpopo, in South Africa. The province of Limpopo is renowned for its platinum and palladium mines, including the nearby Mogalakwena mine – located 30 km north-west of Mokopane – which is the world’s largest open-pit platinum mine in the world in terms of production.

SGS’s new sample preparation unit is strategically located to support the region’s burgeoning platinum-group metals mining industry. The facility’s employees can prepare up to 7,200 samples a month, and once the samples are prepared, they are transported to SGS’s SANAS ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory in Rustenburg – the region’s closest commercial laboratory. The Rustenburg facility, considered a Center of Excellence for platinum-group metals analysis by fire assay, boasts experienced staff that leverage industry-leading technology to support clients’ operations.

By working with SGS’s new mobile sample preparation unit, mining companies can save time, resources and money. They will no longer have to send members of staff on the three-hour drive to SGS’s Rustenburg laboratory. They can also cut costs by sending samples – as courier prices are based on the samples’ weight – and reduce their carbon footprint. Stephen Botha, Regional Geochemistry Manager, commented: “We have established our new mobile sample preparation unit to make life easier for mining organizations based in the region. It slashes turnaround times, reduces costs and ensures a seamless sampling process.”