What to Check Before Buying Gold from Africa
Purchasing gold from African sources requires rigorous verification to ensure legal compliance and refinery acceptance. Material lacking proper documentation faces rejection at international borders and violates OECD due diligence standards. Buyers must confirm four critical elements before committing to any transaction.
Verify the Seller’s Export License
Confirm the supplier holds a valid export license issued by the national mining authority—Ghana’s Minerals Commission, South Africa’s SADPMR, or South Sudan’s Ministry of Mining. Request a copy of the license and cross-reference its validity period and scope. Unlicensed exporters cannot legally clear gold through customs, regardless of material purity.
Confirm Accredited Assay Certification
All export-bound gold requires certification from nationally accredited laboratories. In Ghana, this means PMMC-approved facilities; in South Africa, SABS-registered labs conducting fire assay. The certificate must include weight, precise fineness, unique batch identifier, and authorized signature. Never accept XRF readings alone as export documentation—refineries require fire assay certification.
Validate Chain of Custody Documentation
Request the complete documentation trail: miner’s license number, GPS coordinates of acquisition, tamper-evident seal numbers, and transport records. Each handover point should be documented with timestamps and authorized signatures. Breaks in this sequence invalidate legal export status and raise red flags for refineries.
Review Export Permit Status
The government-issued export permit must match the assay certificate and physical material. In Ghana, this comes from PMMC; in South Africa, from SADPMR with SARS customs endorsement. Permits are batch-specific and time-limited—verify the permit covers your exact consignment before payment.
Why These Checks Matter
Dubai, Swiss, and Asian refineries routinely reject shipments with documentation gaps. Reputable exporters welcome due diligence because transparent supply chains reduce risk for all parties. Red flags include sellers unwilling to share documentation, pressure for upfront payment before permit issuance, or vague answers about miner licensing.
Since 2015, AFRICA GOLD has maintained operational presence across Ghana, South Africa, and South Sudan with permanent field teams that verify miner licenses on site, coordinate accredited assays, secure government permits directly, and manage secure logistics. This integrated oversight ensures buyers receive fully documented, refinery-ready material.
Protect your investment by partnering only with exporters who provide complete documentation upfront. AFRICA GOLD delivers transparent chain of custody from licensed source to international delivery—no exceptions.
africa-gold.com
sales@africa-gold.com
