On-Ground Gold Verification
& Due Diligence in Africa
In-country verification of an African gold transaction firsthand. We travel with you, or independently on your behalf, to verify the seller, the documents, the testing process, and the handover conditions before the deal proceeds.
Best for buyers, investors, and companies whose transaction has progressed to the point where physical presence, seller meetings, or in-country document and testing verification is required before payment or export.
Use this service when a transaction has reached the stage where remote document review is no longer sufficient and physical, in-country verification is needed. This is typically the case once a deal is progressing toward payment, the seller has proposed a meeting or handover in-country, or an earlier assessment has raised points that can only be confirmed firsthand.
We travel to the relevant country, either with the client or independently on the client's behalf, to verify the people, the documents, and the process before any payment or export takes place.
In-person confirmation of the seller's identity, business premises, and claimed authority to act on the transaction.
Physical inspection of company registration, export paperwork, assay certificates, and licences, cross-checked with the relevant issuing authorities in-country.
Oversight of independent gold testing at the point of handover, with chain of custody maintained throughout.
The proposed payment structure, custody arrangement, and export route, checked against how a legitimate handover should be structured.
We attend seller meetings alongside the client or on the client's behalf, verify the seller's premises and documentation in person, and oversee the testing and handover process directly. Every finding is documented as it happens, so the client has a clear, dated record of what was seen, what was confirmed, and what could not be verified. In our experience, this stage is where the gap between what a seller claims and what can actually be confirmed becomes clearest, and it is the point at which most fraudulent transactions collapse under scrutiny.
A documented, in-country verification record, covering the seller and office verification, the document checks carried out with issuing authorities, the testing and handover process observed, and a clear recommendation on whether the transaction should proceed. Findings are provided in writing, in the same format shown on the sample report page.
This service does not include mine site visits or mine inspections, as this falls outside independent verification and is not something we offer. Our on-ground work is limited to the seller, the documents, the testing process, and the handover, the points at which a transaction is actually agreed and completed.
Only need a remote check first? If your transaction has not yet reached the stage where in-country presence is needed, see our 24-Hour Transaction Risk Assessment or Transaction Verification & Risk Assessment.
The deal is progressing toward in-country payment or handover · the seller has proposed a meeting or site visit · documents need confirming directly with issuing authorities in-country · independent gold testing needs to be witnessed firsthand · the client wants a representative physically present before funds move · an earlier remote assessment identified points that can only be resolved on the ground.
On-ground verification most often surfaces sellers whose stated premises do not match what is found in person, documents that cannot be confirmed by the issuing authority once contacted directly, and pressure to complete payment or handover before testing has taken place. For background on how these patterns first appear remotely, see our guides on how African gold scams work and export fees before verification.
If your transaction has not yet reached this stage, start with 24-Hour Transaction Risk Assessment or Transaction Verification & Risk Assessment. Where independent gold testing is the main requirement, see Independent Gold Testing & Assay Oversight.
Request a Quote for On-Ground Verification
Send us the transaction details, country, and stage the deal has reached. We will scope the on-ground verification required and provide a quote.
In-country. Scoped per deal.
Request a Quote →See full pricing or view a sample report.