Gold Buyer Due Diligence in Africa
Before you pay for African gold, Veritas independently verifies the supplier, the documents, the origin story, the chain of custody, and the on-ground reality. We are the buyer-side risk partner for refineries, trading houses, and investors sourcing gold from East and Southern Africa.
Independent Verification for International Gold Buyers
We work exclusively on the buyer side — for the party putting capital at risk. If you are evaluating an African gold offer, we are the independent layer between you and the supplier's claims.
Refineries & Bullion Desks
Evaluating African dore or raw gold supply before offtake agreements and first shipments.
Trading Houses & Procurement
Procurement managers sourcing gold from East and Southern Africa who need independent risk control.
Family Offices & Investors
Capital allocators requiring third-party verification before releasing funds for a gold purchase.
Compliance & KYC Teams
In-house compliance functions supporting a gold purchase with KYC, KYB, and sanctions screening support.
What Goes Wrong When Buyers Skip Independent Verification
African gold supply is real and significant — but so is the volume of fraudulent and misleading offers circulating to international buyers. Most losses do not come from sophisticated schemes. They come from buyers trusting documents and photos at face value, and paying before anyone independently checked the supplier or the material.
Veritas exists to close that gap. We verify the claims a seller makes before your funds move, so you negotiate and pay with your eyes open.
Common red flags in gold offers
- Suppliers that exist only on paper — no operating site, no mining or export authority
- Recycled or stock photos passed off as current inventory and recent production
- Forged or borrowed export licences, mining permits, and certificates of origin
- Inflated or staged assay results — bait purity that does not match the actual material
- Gaps in chain of custody from mine site to the point of export or handover
- Pressure to release advance payments before any independent verification
Request Gold Buyer Due Diligence
Tell us what you have been offered and what you need verified. No obligation, no commitment — just an independent assessment before your funds move.
The Veritas Gold Verification Process
A structured, six-step engagement that gives you an independent risk picture before you commit capital.
Engagement Briefing
You share what you have been offered — supplier details, proposed quantity, price, origin country, and any documents already received. We define the verification scope with you.
Supplier KYC & KYB
We confirm the supplier exists as a legal entity, identify principals and beneficial owners where disclosable, and screen for inconsistencies in their registration, licensing, and claims.
Document Authentication
Export permits, certificates of origin, transport documents, invoices, and any assay-related papers are reviewed against issuing authorities and for internal consistency and tampering.
On-Ground Site Visit
Where engaged, a local analyst visits the supplier site to confirm physical reality — operating presence, capacity, and conditions — and reports back with dated, geo-tagged evidence.
Chain of Custody & Inspection Oversight
We trace the claimed custody path and, where instructed, coordinate independent pre-shipment inspection or assay oversight so results are not controlled by the seller.
Risk Report & Decision Brief
You receive a structured report with findings, red flags, evidence, and a risk rating — giving decision-makers and compliance teams what they need to proceed, renegotiate, or walk away.
What You Receive
Every gold buyer engagement concludes with a decision-ready package.
- Supplier verification profile with legal existence, principals, and licensing posture
- Document authentication matrix flagging forgeries, discrepancies, and unverifiable claims
- Site visit report with photographs, geo-tags, and dated observations (where engaged)
- Chain of custody assessment with gaps and inconsistencies highlighted
- Assay and inspection coordination summary (where instructed)
- Consolidated risk rating with a clear recommendation for the buyer
Documents We Commonly Review
Bring whatever you have already received. We authenticate, cross-check, and flag.
- Company registration and beneficial ownership disclosures
- Mining licences, permits, orartisanal-mining authorisations where applicable
- Export permits and certificates of origin
- Commercial invoices and packing lists
- Transport documents — bills of lading, airway bills, and CMR notes
- Assay certificates, refinery receipts, or weight statements already in the buyer's possession
- Letters of credit packing sets and draft LC documents (buyer-side review)
On the Ground in East & Southern Africa
We have resident analysts and vetted local partners across the region. That means we do not rely on documents alone — we can physically confirm whether a supplier operates where they claim to.
- Kenya — Nairobi-based team, gold trade and export documentation
- Uganda — Kampala presence, artisanal and licensed gold export oversight
- Tanzania — mining licensing and export permit verification
- South Africa — Johannesburg office, refinery and bullion desk liaison
- Zambia & DRC — coordinated cross-border mineral due diligence
For countries outside our direct footprint, we will tell you honestly what we can and cannot verify on the ground before you engage us.
Demand-market buyers we support
Many of our clients are based outside Africa and need remote verification they can trust.
What We Never Do
- We do not sell gold, and we are not a gold dealer, refinery, or logistics provider.
- We do not broker, structure, or facilitate illegal or sanctions-evading gold transactions.
- We do not coach counterparties on evading AML, KYC, sanctions, or export controls.
- We do not guarantee transaction completion, purity outcomes, or regulatory approval.
- We do not accept commissions from suppliers — our fees are paid by the buyer we represent.
Questions Gold Buyers Ask Us
Do you sell gold or connect me to gold sellers?
No. Veritas is an independent advisory and verification firm. We do not sell gold, take trading positions, or receive commissions from suppliers. We work for the buyer to verify what is being offered before funds move.
Which countries can you cover for gold supplier verification?
We cover East and Southern Africa, with active ground-level capability in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Africa, and coordinated coverage into Zambia and the DRC. For other countries, we will tell you honestly what we can and cannot verify on the ground.
Can you stop me from being scammed on an African gold deal?
No due diligence provider can guarantee a fraud-free outcome. What we do is materially reduce your risk by independently checking the supplier, documents, custody claims, and on-ground reality, and giving you a clear risk picture so you can decide whether to proceed, renegotiate, or walk away. Buyers remain responsible for their own compliance decisions.
How fast can you start verifying a gold supplier?
Preliminary desk-based verification — company checks, document review, and inconsistency screening — can typically begin within 24 to 48 hours of engagement. On-ground site visits are usually scheduled within 72 hours in capital cities where we have resident analysts.
Do you perform the assay yourself?
No. We do not operate a laboratory and we do not issue assay certificates. Where instructed, we coordinate and oversee independent pre-shipment inspection or assay so that results are not controlled by the seller. Any testing is performed by independent, reputable parties, not Veritas.
Will your reports satisfy my bank, refinery, or compliance team?
Our reports are structured for decision-makers and compliance teams and are used by refineries, trading houses, and financiers supporting gold purchases. That said, each institution sets its own acceptance criteria, and buyers remain responsible for their own KYC, AML, and sanctions compliance.
Is your due diligence OECD-aligned?
Our mineral due diligence approach is aligned with internationally recognised due diligence expectations for responsible mineral supply chains, including the OECD framework. We do not claim to be a certified auditor or an accredited conformity-assessment body. We provide buyer-side advisory and verification support, not certification.
What does a gold buyer engagement cost?
Fees depend on scope, country, and whether on-ground site visits or inspection coordination are required. We provide a transparent fixed-fee proposal after a short briefing call. There are no hidden charges and no commission arrangements with any supplier.
I am a buyer in the UAE, Switzerland, or India — can you work remotely?
Yes. Many of our gold-buyer clients are based in Dubai, Zurich, London, Mumbai, and Singapore. We run desk-based verification remotely and deploy on-ground analysts in Africa as needed, reporting back to you wherever you are located.
What information do you need from me to start?
Whatever you have been offered: supplier name and contact details, origin country, proposed quantity and form (dore, raw, dust, bars), price, and any documents already received (export permits, certificates of origin, assay papers, transport documents). The more we have, the faster we can move.
Before You Pay for African Gold, Verify It Independently
Tell us what you have been offered and what you need verified. No obligation, no commitment — just an independent assessment before your funds move.
Request Gold Buyer Due Diligence