What does "at origin" mean for ASM gold?

Most of Ghana's artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) gold begins far up the chain, at small producers in regions such as Ashanti and Western. "Due diligence at origin" means running the OECD checks as close to that source as possible — mapping the chain back to the producer, documenting chain-of-custody from intake, and assaying the material — rather than accepting a sealed parcel and an unsupported claim. This is the difference between sourcing that can withstand audit and sourcing that cannot. Under Act 1140, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) is the sole legal buyer, assayer, and exporter of ASM-sector gold; we coordinate within that framework and do not claim to be GoldBod, to mine, or to be a refinery.

How does responsible sourcing protect against gold scams?

A documented, OECD-aligned due-diligence process is the structural opposite of a gold scam. A scam relies on an unsolicited offer, a sealed parcel you cannot verify, an advance fee or escrow, and a price "below spot". Responsible sourcing replaces every one of those with the opposite: a known origin, documented chain-of-custody, recognised assay, and valuation against the international spot price — never below it. Genuine gold is never sold below its spot value. We are an institutional B2B firm; we do not sell gold to the public and do not respond to unsolicited "buy gold" enquiries.

Do you serve retail or personal clients?

No. Ghana Metals is an institutional B2B firm — we serve refineries, banks and bullion buyers, institutional investors, manufacturers and jewellers, export houses, and licensed sourcing operations. Responsible-sourcing due diligence is provided to institutions that must demonstrate a conflict-free, documented supply chain. We do not sell gold to individuals.

Responsible Gold Sourcing in Ghana — OECD Due Diligence

Responsible gold sourcing in Ghana, run as OECD due diligence at origin: conflict-free, ASM-origin material, documented chain-of-custody, and supplier verification — within Ghana's GoldBod-regulated framework. Valued against the international spot price, never below it. Institutional clients only. Since 1976.

Responsible gold sourcing in Ghana is not a label — it is a documented process that establishes where the metal came from and proves it is conflict-free and lawfully produced. Ghana Metals runs this as institutional due diligence at origin, aligned to the OECD framework and within Ghana’s GoldBod-regulated framework, since 1976. Arrange a due-diligence engagement: +233 27 000 0844. Institutional clients only.

Why Institutions Use Ghana Metals for Responsible Sourcing

OECD Due Diligence, At Origin

We run the OECD five-step framework as close to the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) source as possible — mapping the chain back to the producer rather than accepting a sealed parcel and an unsupported claim.

Inside the Regulated Framework

We work within Ghana’s GoldBod-regulated framework (the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 — Act 1140), under which GoldBod is the sole legal buyer, assayer, and exporter of ASM-sector gold. We coordinate within that regime; we do not claim to be it, to mine, or to be a refinery.

Conflict-Free, Documented Origin

Material moves under documented, sealed, and tracked chain-of-custody, assayed by recognised methods — so an institutional buyer sees a documented, conflict-free origin rather than a claim.

Valued Against Spot — Never Below

Where material is valued, it is valued against the international spot price (LBMA / COMEX) for its assayed fineness. There is no separate “Ghana gold price”, and we never value or offer gold below spot.

The OECD Five-Step Framework

| Step | What we deliver | |---|---| | Management system | Documented policy, responsibilities, records | | Risk identification | Chain mapped to ASM origin; red flags assessed | | Risk mitigation | Mitigation strategy + chain-of-custody control | | Verification & assurance | Recognised assay + verified custody | | Reporting & valuation | Documented findings; valued against spot |

How Due Diligence at Origin Works

Establish the management system — policy, responsibilities, record-keeping aligned to OECD guidance.
Identify and assess risks at origin — chain mapped to the ASM producer; red flags assessed.
Design and implement mitigation — sealed, tracked chain-of-custody control.
Verification and assurance — recognised assay; verified custody.
Report and value against spot — documented findings; never below spot.

What It Costs — Honestly

Responsible-sourcing due diligence is quoted per engagement — the scope, the number of counterparties, and the depth of verification drive it, and there is no flat published rate. Where material is valued, it is valued against the international spot price for its assayed fineness. We never offer or value gold below spot: a “discount to spot” is the signature of a scam, not a deal.

Legitimacy & Compliance

We work within Ghana’s GoldBod-regulated framework — the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), under which GoldBod is the sole legal buyer, assayer, and exporter of ASM-sector gold. We operate within that regime and coordinate the official assay/export where they apply; we do not claim to be GoldBod, to mine, or to be a refinery
Due diligence aligned to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for responsible mineral supply chains; recognised assay; documented chain-of-custody throughout
Institutional clients only — refineries, banks, investors, manufacturers, export houses; we do not sell gold to the public
Established 1976 — a real, documented precious-metals service firm

Responsible Sourcing Across Ghana

We run due diligence for institutional clients across Accra, Tema, Kumasi, and the Ashanti and Western mining regions, mapping ASM-origin supply chains and coordinating compliant onward handling within the regulated framework. For operations along the Ghana–Togo corridor, we coordinate from Accra through to Lomé.

Areas We Serve

Ghana Metals provides responsible-sourcing due diligence and precious-metals services to institutions across Greater Accra, Tema, Kumasi, and the Ashanti and Western regions of Ghana, and along the corridor to Lomé, Togo.

Gold Assay & Fineness Verification — determined, not estimated
Gold Export Compliance — documentation within the GoldBod regime
Verifying a Legitimate Gold Supplier — the anti-scam checklist
Chain-of-Custody Assurance — sealed, tracked, traceable

Frequently Asked Questions

What is responsible gold sourcing? The practice of handling gold under documented due diligence that establishes a conflict-free, lawful origin. The recognised standard is the OECD five-step framework — management system, risk identification, mitigation, assurance, and reporting. We run it at origin, within the GoldBod framework.

What does “at origin” mean? Running the OECD checks as close to the ASM source as possible — mapping the chain to the producer, documenting custody from intake, and assaying — rather than accepting a sealed parcel and an unsupported claim.

How does this protect against scams? It is the structural opposite of a scam: known origin, documented custody, recognised assay, and valuation against spot — never below. An offer “below spot”, an advance fee, or a “guarantee” is the scam signature.

Do you serve retail clients? No — institutional B2B only (refineries, banks, investors, manufacturers, export houses). We do not sell gold to the public.