How a West Africa testing trip works

  1. You send the details — where the gold is, its form and quantity, the seller’s name and documents, and your timing.
  2. We confirm feasibility — access, security, the local rules for the mineral and the seller’s licence position, before quoting.
  3. Testers travel with an XRF analyser, calibrated scales, density equipment and seals.
  4. Testing on site — every piece tested, weighed and sealed in front of both sides, with photo and video.
  5. Laboratory assay — a sample to an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory, certificate in your name.
  6. Report — readings, weights, seals, document findings and a clear recommendation.

Ghana: the GoldBod rules buyers need to know

Since 1 May 2025, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has been the sole buyer, seller, assayer and exporter of gold produced by artisanal and small-scale miners in Ghana. Foreigners and individuals were barred from the local gold trade from that date, and earlier licences for individuals were revoked (Daily Graphic, April 2025).

For a foreign buyer this changes the first question. A private seller offering small-scale Ghanaian gold for export needs to show where it stands under the GoldBod rules — and the answer has to come from GoldBod, not from the seller. We confirm the position before any testing trip is booked.

Sierra Leone and Freetown

Sierra Leone’s gold is mostly mined by artisanal and small-scale miners in the provinces and exported through Freetown. Under the Mines and Minerals Development Act, 2022, the National Minerals Agency licenses miners, dealers and exporters separately, so the first question is whether the seller holds the licence that matches its role. We confirm it with the NMA, check the company with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and test, weigh and seal the gold in Freetown or at source. See gold testing in Freetown and supplier due diligence in Sierra Leone.

Elsewhere in West Africa

We take on testing in other West African countries case by case. Each country has its own rules on who may buy and export gold, and conditions vary by region. We confirm feasibility, access and security for every job before quoting, and say so plainly when a trip is not advisable.

What we test

  • Doré bars and cast bars
  • Nuggets and alluvial gold dust
  • Refined bars and ingots
  • Scrap and jewellery gold

Each form needs a different approach to sampling. See gold testing methods compared.

What we need from you before a trip

  • The seller’s company name and country of registration
  • Copies of the licence and export documents the seller has sent
  • The form, quantity and claimed purity of the gold
  • Where the gold is held, and who controls access to it
  • Your timing, and whether you or your representative will attend

With these we check the seller and the rules before anyone travels, so the trip is only made when the deal can go ahead.

Checking the seller in West Africa

The checks follow our verification standard: the company with the national registry, the licence with the mines authority, the authority to sell, and the export route. In Ghana the first question is the seller’s position under the GoldBod rules; elsewhere it is the licence class and the export authorisation. See verified gold suppliers in Africa.

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 note of the local rules that apply to the export