Goldsmithing in South Africa

AngloGold recently hosted a goldsmith training project in conjunction Electra Mining 2002, an exhibition held in Johannesburg. The highlight of the project was a visit from Bakary Yali, a Malian goldsmith with 30 years of experience, who taught traditional West African goldsmithing techniques to a group of students.

The students included representatives of the Cullinan Jewellery School, zthe Kgabane Pilot Project, Wits Technikon, and the Vukani-Ubunti Community Development Project.

AngloGold says the project, now in its third year, is designed to encourage development of South Africa’s gold jewelry manufacturing industry and to introduce design concepts that combine traditional goldsmithing with African crafts.

In previous years, AngloGold arranged for visits by South African jewelers to Mali, whose jewelers use a variety of techniques. Mali has a rich design aesthetic that draws on local mythology, flora and fauna for inspiration. Malian goldsmiths work with a set of simple, low-cost tools that nonetheless produce sophisticated jewelry.

AngloGold and the government of South Africa are partners in skills development projects designed to help the local mining industry and economy. These projects and skills development programs will be among the provisions of a new mining bill, to be signed into law in October.

Patrons of Electra Mining 2002 included the South AfricanChamber of Mines, the South African Institute of Mining & Metallurgy, the South African lnstitution of Mechanical Engineers, the South African Institute of Electrical Engineering, the South African Flameproof Association, the Conveyor Manufacturers Association and the South African Institute of Materials Handling.

Exhibitors included international and local suppliers of equipment and services to the mining, power generation, electrical, materials handling, manufacturing, safety, enviromental, civil engineering and earthmoving sectors.

— The preceding is from an information bulletin published by Johannesburg-based AngloGold.