The Western Platinum Refinery has denied that it has lost a multi-million rand consignment of palladium.

The denial comes after three containers of the pgm were seen falling from a helicopter en route to Johannesburg airport.

According to reports on SABC, the goods landed near houses in the suburb of Brenthurst.

More than 30 boxes of palladium were being transported by the refinery when the accident happened, prompting it to offer a reward of 20,000R.

Although two of the lost containers have been returned by members of the public, one remains unaccounted for.

However, a spokesperson for Western Platinum Refinery has denied claims that the missing metal is worth millions of rands.