Invitation to GEMINI-SA Project Inception Workshop

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), in collaboration with the National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA), cordially invites you to attend the inception workshop of the Global Elimination of Mercury in Non-ferrous Metals Initiative (GEMINI) SA.

The purpose of the workshop is to introduce the GEMINI-SA project and establish a shared understanding of its scope, objectives, expected outputs, implementation approach, stakeholder roles, and timelines. The session will provide an opportunity for engagement among key industry representatives, government departments, financial institutions, technical experts, and other interested and affected parties. Your participation will be instrumental in shaping the project’s direction and fostering collaboration across the non-ferrous metals value chain.

South Africa is a signatory to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a global treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from anthropogenic mercury emissions and releases. In 2022, DFFE undertook the Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) to evaluate national sources of mercury releases and existing management measures. The findings informed the development of the National Implementation Plan (NIP), which guides the country’s actions to phase out mercury-added products, reduce emissions and releases, strengthen mercury waste management, and advance awareness-raising initiatives.

While progress has been made, mercury emissions from the non-ferrous metals industry remain a significant concern due to limited controls in certain industrial processes. To address this gap, South Africa is participating in the UNIDO-led GEMINI Programme, which focuses on reducing mercury emissions from industrial production of gold, lead, zinc, copper, aluminium, and platinum group metals.

DFFE has appointed the NCPC-SA as the project Executing Agency. The GEMINI-SA project aims to:

• Strengthen policy and regulatory coherence to support mercury-free non-ferrous metal production through an enabling framework.

• Improve access to finance and promote innovative financial instruments to accelerate sustainable technology uptake.

• Support the adoption of mercury-free technologies and practices through demonstration projects, technical assistance, and capacity building.

• Establish an inclusive knowledge management platform that promotes awareness, best practice sharing, and transformative partnerships.

The inception workshop marks the formal commencement of the national component of the GEMINI project and represents a critical step in aligning stakeholders toward achieving mercury-free non-ferrous metal production in South Africa.

Event details:

Date:	Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Time:	09:00 to 13:00
Venue:	The Innovation Hub, 1 Mark Shuttleworth Street, Lynwood, Pretoria, Auditorium 1 ( The innovation centre Building ) and online (MS Teams).

                    

The event is free, but registration is essential. Register below or contact Mbali Moroe at mmoroe@csir.co.za for more information.

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