Established in 2007, Johannesburg-based mining laboratory services provider Tramecon provides turnkey laboratory solutions for new mining projects, including workload determination, staff training, laboratory design commissioning and management.

With a yearly turnover of over R10-million, Tramecon also offers equipment specification services and aids in the acquisition of chemicals and consumables and in the installation and commissioning of equipment.

Founded by Dr Hannelie de Beer, who has a 100% shareholding, Tramecon is currently installing and commissioning a multimillion- rand container laboratory at the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kinsenda copper mine, in the Katanga province. Other clients include operations owned by South African mining firm Metorex, diversified miner GlencoreXtrata, mineral development and exploration company Teal Mining and local ferrochrome producer Assmang.

Meanwhile, the company’s newly established subsidiary, Qotho, provides specialist support services for mineral laboratories, including proficiency testing (PT) schemes, ISO 17025 implementation assistance, as well as laboratory audits and change and quality management.

Qotho’s production process involves receiving material from suppliers, preparing the material to ensure homogeneity, testing the material’s homogeneity, packaging and labelling the product and distributing the material to various laboratories, both local and international. Once the test results are returned to Qotho, it prepares and distributes a statistical report, which is then circulated to all laboratories who took part in that particular PT scheme round.

Qotho’s most recent work includes PT of chrome and manganese minerals. Participants in these PT schemes include operational laboratories of several high-profile mining companies, including Assmang, GlencoreXtrata, manganese producer Samancor and diversified mining major African Rainbow Minerals. Other Qotho clients include analytical, testing and verification laboratories, such as Set Point, SGS, Intertek Genalysis and AH Knight.

The subsidiary’s shareholding is divided among three primary shareholders: Tramecon (34%), company director Nhlanhla Mamba (33%) and a black female chemist operating within the industry (33%).

Qotho is currently working towards ISO 17043 accreditation, which will recognise the company’s proficiency as a testing scheme services provider.

With a staff complement of 12, Tramecon and Qotho are based at 43 Woodley road, Cresta, in Johannesburg, Gauteng.