CHEMISTRY IN 145

CHI MIA 49 (1995) Nr. 5 (Mail

recious e al n stry

Chimia 49 (1995) 145 © Neue Schweizerische Chemische Gesellschaft 1SSN 0009-4293

The Swiss Precious Metal Industry and the Golden Triangle of Canton Tieino

Fiorenzo Arbinia), Carlo Rampininib), and Alessandro Ruffoni*

The Swiss precious metal industry veloped in the Mendrisiotto district, the metals, so that they are accepted every- cover the needs for finished and semi- most meridional of Canton Ticino. In the where without any prior chemical anal- finished products of many different indus- course of the years not less than three firms YSIS. trial branches such as watch manufactur- were established within a radius of few The pressure due to the existing over- ing, jewellery, dentistry, chemistry, elec- kilometres, and constitute today the high- capacity in the field of the refining of the tronics, and electro-technics. Their most est concentration in the world in terms of precious metals, the distance to the extrac- important activities, however, are the re- capacity of precious metal processing: tion sites and the high work cost force the fining and the recycling of the precious Argor-Heraeus SA in , Valcam- Swiss manufacturers into a continuous metals - especially of gold, even if silver, hi SA in , and Pamp SA in Castel endeavour for rationalization and innova- platinum, and palladium have not to be San Pietro. tion, in order not to be overcome by the forgotten - and their conversion into bank The leading role of in the international competition. The constant products, medals and coins. Hence, it is physical trade of precious metals has been adequation of the facilities and of the not surprising that their trading area reach- definitively strengthened in 1968, when plants to the state of the art, the attention to es well beyond the national boundaries the pool constituted by the three major the development of trends at international and extends throughout the whole world. Swiss banks allowed the Zurich trading level, and the competent care towards the Their origin is related to another im- centre to overtake the place of London as needs and desires of the customers have portant Swiss industry: the watch manu- the world's most important centre for the helped the Swiss precious metal industry facturing. Since the middle of the eight- gold trading. Roughly 60% of the gold to find a way out of the recent period of eenth century the need to put the precious extracted throughout the world is nowa- economical recession and to look with watch mechanisms into an equally pre- days traded in Zurich. confidence to the future. cious shell was felt. So the artisans of At the base of the success of the man- Geneva and of the hills surrounding Neu- ufacturers of the precious metal branch chatel began to work with gold and silver several important features, beneath the to create their watch cases. general good reputation of the 'Swiss Around the middle of the following made', playa central role: century, in order to cut the costs and to - the importance and the efficiency of ensure the best quality, the necessity to the Swiss banks, to whom many of the delegate the production of alloys and of Swiss precious metal refiners are affil- semi-finished products became evident. iated Several manufacturers grew up in this - the absence of taxes on the trade of area, and they represent still today the bank gold support of this branch of the Swiss indus- - the rigourous Swiss legislation on the try, which still holds, despite the keen control of the trade of precious metals *Correspondence: A. Ruffoni international competition, a leadership - the presence in the refineries of sworn Argor-Heraeus SA position in the world. assayers, who are directly responsible CP 279 Since the Fifties of our century, owing in front of the Swiss federal authorities CH-6850 Mendrisio to the vicinity to Italy, the world's leading for the correct determination of the a) F. Arbini Valcamhi SA producer of jewellery (which consumes fineness of the precious metals CH-6828 Balema each year one fifth of the gold used in the - the inclusion in the 'Good Delivery b) C. Rampinini whole world for this purpose) a new spot List' , which warrants an international Pamp SA for the processing of precious metals de- acknowledgement of the bank precious CH-6874