Perth mint

The Perth Mint is the only London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) approved refiner in Australia It refines the total Australian annual gold production as well as that from Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and Fiji. It also sources gold jewellery scrap from various Asian markets. The refinery throughput is usually between 300 and 400 tonnes each year although it is able to refine amounts far in excess to what it usually handles.

The Perth Mint was Established as a Result of Gold Discoveries at Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie

The Perth Mint opened in 1899 as a result of the rich gold discoveries in Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. It was the third branch of the British Royal mint to be established in Australia, the others being in Sydney and Melbourne. Both these mints are now closed.

Perth Mint Uses Three Refining Processes

The Perth Mint refinery uses three processes to refine metals, these are; electrolytic silver refining, electrolytic gold refining and a chlorination electrolytic method of refining. The combining of these refining processes ensures the metals sourced from gold and silver mines are refined in the most cost effective manner.

Perth Mint Refining is Recognised as Being the World's Best

The Perth Mint Refining Division is both accepted and recognised around the world for its attention to maintaining exacting technical standards. It provides technical consultancy services to a number of countries to help them design and develop their own refining facilities. As a result the Perth Mint bar mark provides purchasers throughout the world with an assurance that the stated weight, integrity and purity of the product is as exact as it could possibly be.

In 1957 the Perth Mint achieved what has been widely regarded as being arguably the purest of all gold when senior craftsman Alexander Osborne and refinery officer Leo Hickey produced a 'proof plate' containing six nines ñ 999.999 parts of gold a thousand. The Royal Mint in London was so impressed it ordered some of the gold to use as a benchmark for its own standards.

Perth Mint Offers Laboratory Services to the Australian Mining Industry

The Perth Mint also manages a laboratory that provides a range of services to the Australian mining industry such as; the fire assaying of gold and silver, an inductively coupled plasma spectrometry analysis and the supply of bullion assaying consumables.

Perth Mint now Operated by the Gold Corporation

The Perth Mint belonged to Britain as a branch of the Royal Mint until July 1, 1970 when its ownership was taken over by the Western Australian Government. The acquisition was formalised in 1987 when the government created the Gold Corporation under an Act of the Western Australian Government. At the same time the Australian Federal Government Department of Treasury entered into a unique agreement with the Gold Corporation that empowered it to mint and market gold, silver and platinum as Australian legal tender coinage to collectors and investors throughout the world. Gold Corporation has two fully owned subsidiary companies; GoldCorp Australia and Western Australian Mint.

The Perth Mint refining obligations eventually outgrew the old refinery in Perth city and since 1990 gold has been refined at its new refinery near Perth's international airport.