The rule: confirm with the issuer
A document is a claim made by whoever issued it. To rely on it, you need that issuer to confirm it — the report number, the date, the quantity and the name it was issued to. Use a telephone number or email address you have found yourself, from the issuer’s official website or a directory, never the one printed on the document.
Offer documents: FCO, LOI, ICPO and SPA
These documents describe the deal; they do not prove anything about the gold. An FCO (full corporate offer) states the seller’s terms; an LOI or ICPO states the buyer’s intent; an SPA is the binding contract. What can be checked is who issued them:
- The company named on the FCO exists on the national registry, and the signatory is a director or holds a written authority.
- The company’s licence covers selling and exporting the gold offered.
- The bank details are in the company’s own name.
- The terms in the SPA match the FCO — quantity, purity, price basis, delivery and inspection.
Have your lawyer review the SPA before signing, against the findings of supplier due diligence.
Each document, what it proves and who confirms it
| Document | What it should prove | Confirm with |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of incorporation | The company exists | The national registry (BRELA, PACRA, RCCM, URSB, BRS) |
| Mining or dealer licence | The company may mine, trade or export gold | The cadastre or licensing authority |
| Assay certificate | The gold content of a stated sample | The laboratory, by report number |
| Safekeeping receipt (SKR) | The vault holds the stated gold for the depositor | The vault or custodian directly |
| Export permit | The consignment may leave the country | The issuing ministry or commission |
| Certificate of origin | Where the gold was produced | The issuing chamber or authority |
| CEEC / ICGLR certificate (DRC, region) | Export certification and conflict-free status | CEEC and the national ICGLR office |
| Air waybill | The shipment is booked or carried | The airline or forwarder, by AWB number |
| Insurance certificate | The shipment is insured | The insurer |
The assay certificate
An assay certificate reports the result for the sample the laboratory received. It does not say the sample came from the lot you are buying. Confirm three things:
- The laboratory issued this report — confirm the report number, date and result with the laboratory directly.
- The laboratory is accredited for the method — usually ISO/IEC 17025 for fire assay.
- The sample came from your lot — which is only known if an independent person drew and sealed it.
For a purchase, have your own sample drawn under supervision and assayed in your name. See gold testing methods compared.
The safekeeping receipt (SKR)
An SKR is issued by a vault or custodian to the person who deposited goods with it. Confirm with the custodian, directly, that it issued the receipt, that the goods are still held, who holds the right to them, and whether they are pledged. Then confirm the custodian itself exists and is licensed to operate a vault.
Export permits and certificates of origin
Export permits are issued per consignment by the mining authority of the exporting country — the Mining Commission in Tanzania, the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development in Zambia, the Directorate of Mines in Kenya, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in Uganda; in the DR Congo, gold also needs CEEC certification. Confirm the permit number, the holder, the quantity and the dates with the office that issued it.
Patterns that call for a closer look
None of these proves anything on its own. Each is a reason to confirm before going further:
- Every document in the file was sent by the seller, and none can be confirmed with its issuer.
- Numbers do not match across documents — weight, purity, bar numbers or dates.
- Contact details on a certificate do not match the issuer’s official website.
- Fees are requested for “registration”, “release” or “documentation” before the gold has been tested.
- There is pressure to sign or pay before checks can be completed.
Keeping a document file
Keep every document with a note of how and when it was confirmed, by whom, and with which contact. That file is what a bank, a refinery or an auditor will ask for later, and it is what our reports are built to provide.
Air waybills and shipping documents
An air waybill number can be checked with the airline or forwarder named on it. Confirm the shipper, consignee, weight and route. A waybill shows that a shipment was booked, not what was inside it — which is why sealing by an independent tester before shipment matters.
Having documents authenticated
Send us the documents you have received. We confirm each with its issuer and report which were confirmed, which were not and which could not be checked. See document authentication or start a verification.