What we test and verify in the DR Congo
The DR Congo exported more than 28.2 tonnes of gold in 2025, worth $2.84 billion, according to the government’s mining planning unit (CTCPM), as reported by Bankable in April 2026. Artisanal exports rose to 2,834.72 kg from 1,755.82 kg the year before. Behind those figures is a large artisanal sector and a long chain of buyers between the mine and the exporter — which is why the documents that travel with Congolese gold matter as much as the metal.
- Gold testing — XRF, acid and density on site; drilling or melting for a representative sample; fire assay at an accredited laboratory.
- Copper and cobalt inspection in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga — counting, weighing, sampling and photo records at mines and warehouses. See copper sampling and lab testing.
- Seller verification — RCCM record, CAMI title, buying-house licence, export authorisation and directors.
- Certificate checks — CEEC certification and, for regional trade, the ICGLR certificate, each confirmed with the issuing body.
- Chain-of-custody review — from mine site to buying house to exporter, against the OECD Due Diligence Guidance.
The Congolese registries and certificates we check
| Record | Held by | What it confirms |
|---|---|---|
| RCCM | Commercial court registry (Registre du Commerce et du Crédit Mobilier) | The company exists; its registration number and managers |
| Mining title | CAMI (Cadastre Minier) | Exploitation permits, small-mine permits and artisanal zones: holder, area and validity |
| Buying-house licence | Ministry of Mines (comptoir agréé) | Authority to buy artisanal production and export it |
| Export certification | CEEC (Centre d’Expertise, d’Évaluation et de Certification) | Evaluation and certification of gold and precious minerals for export |
| ICGLR certificate | Issued nationally under the ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism | Conflict-free status for designated minerals traded in the region |
A certificate presented by a seller is treated as unverified until the body that issued it confirms it. We contact each body using details we find independently, never those printed on the document.
Where we work in the DR Congo
| Region | Typical work |
|---|---|
| Ituri (Bunia, Mongbwalu) | Gold testing at buying houses and before transport; chain-of-custody review |
| Haut-Uélé | Site visits to gold operations on request |
| Kinshasa | Document and certificate checks; testing before export |
| Lualaba (Kolwezi) | Copper and cobalt inspection, sampling and warehouse counts |
| Haut-Katanga (Lubumbashi) | Copper cathode and concentrate inspection; export documents |
Chain of custody for Congolese gold
Most international buyers and refiners work to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, and to the LBMA Responsible Gold Guidance if they sell into the London market. Both ask the buyer to know where the gold was mined, who handled it and that no armed group or public security force benefited along the way.
In practice we trace the lot back through the documents — mine site or artisanal zone, buying house, transport and export — and test whether each link exists and matches. Where a link cannot be confirmed, the report says so plainly.
How we test gold in the DR Congo
Artisanal gold in the DR Congo is often sold as dust, nuggets or roughly cast bars, which vary inside. XRF on the surface is only a first reading. Our testers measure density, drill or melt for a sample, seal the lot and send the sample to an accredited laboratory for fire assay. The method is explained in gold testing methods compared.
Copper and cobalt in the south
For copper cathodes, concentrate and cobalt hydroxide in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, we count and weigh, read brand marks, draw samples under supervision and deliver them to ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratories. Buyers of Congolese copper should read genuine copper suppliers in the DR Congo.
How long it takes
RCCM and CAMI checks usually take a few working days, depending on the province. Certificate confirmations with CEEC or the ICGLR office depend on the issuing office. On-site testing and inspection are scheduled with you once access is confirmed, and laboratory results take as long as the laboratory needs. All of it is set out in the quotation.
What you receive
- A written report sent to you directly, the same day for on-site results
- Every reading, weight and seal number, with dated photos and video
- Registry and licence findings, each with the source checked
- The laboratory certificate in your name where an assay was done
- A chain-of-custody summary showing which links were confirmed and which were not