Supplying DRC Gold to Swiss Refineries — What You Need to Know

Switzerland is the world's gold refining capital. Despite producing no gold of its own, the country processes an estimated 70% of the world's annually mined gold — thousands of tonnes passing through facilities in Geneva, Ticino, and Zurich every year. For African gold suppliers, particularly those working with DRC alluvial gold, accessing Swiss refineries represents the premium tier of the global gold market. The prices are competitive, the relationships are long-term, and the standards are the highest in the industry. This guide explains exactly what Swiss refineries require and how Congo Gold Connect helps DRC gold meet those standards.

Why Switzerland Dominates Gold Refining

The Swiss gold refining industry is built on three pillars: precision, confidentiality, and compliance. Facilities such as Valcambi in Balerna, PAMP Suisse in Castel San Pietro, and Argor-Heraeus in Mendrisio have processed African gold for decades. They are the preferred destination for gold from West Africa, East Africa, and increasingly from the DRC — drawn by consistent demand, reliable payment terms, and the global prestige of the Swiss hallmark.

For DRC gold suppliers, Switzerland offers a key advantage over Dubai: Swiss refineries are often willing to work with smaller initial shipments from verified, compliant sources — making them accessible to mid-tier suppliers who can demonstrate documentation quality and supply consistency.

What Swiss Refineries Require from African Suppliers

1. Full OECD Due Diligence Compliance

This is the most critical requirement and the one that eliminates most would-be African suppliers immediately. Swiss refineries are legally bound by the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. The DRC is classified as a conflict-affected region, which means every shipment of DRC gold must come with a documented due diligence file that demonstrates:

• Identification of every link in the supply chain from mine to export
• Evidence that payments did not benefit armed groups or illegal taxation
• Confirmation that no forced or child labour was used in extraction
• Risk assessment against OECD Annex II red flags
• Evidence of corrective action where risks were identified

Swiss refineries conduct their own supply chain audits annually and are regularly inspected by the Swiss Better Gold Association and the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA). A supplier who cannot provide a complete OECD-aligned due diligence file will not be accepted — regardless of gold quality or price.

2. Independent Third-Party Assay Certificate

Every shipment must be accompanied by an assay certificate from an accredited, independent laboratory — not from the seller or a lab affiliated with the seller. The certificate must state:

• Gold fineness (minimum 916 fineness / 22K accepted; 999.9 fine preferred)
• Exact gross and net weight in troy ounces and grams
• Form of gold (dore bars, grain, dust, nuggets)
• Assay methodology used
• Laboratory name, accreditation number, and date

Swiss refineries will fire assay every incoming shipment themselves, but the independent pre-shipment certificate is a non-negotiable entry requirement. Any significant variance between the submitted certificate and their own assay will trigger a pricing dispute and may result in the supplier relationship being terminated.

3. Complete Chain of Custody Documentation

Swiss refineries must be able to trace the gold back to source. For DRC alluvial gold routed via Uganda, the full document chain typically includes:

• DRC Ministère des Mines export permit
• Mining cooperative registration and identity documents
• Certificate of origin (country and province level)
• Uganda Revenue Authority customs clearance documentation
• Bank of Uganda mineral export declaration
• Commercial invoice and packing list
• Airway bill from Entebbe International Airport
• Precious cargo insurance certificate

4. KYC and AML Compliance

Swiss financial regulations require all refineries to conduct full Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks on every supplier. Expect to provide:

• Company registration documents
• Beneficial owner identification (passport copies)
• Bank account details and proof of banking relationship
• Business reference letters
• Three years of audited financial statements (for large volumes)

This process can take 4–8 weeks for new suppliers. Congo Gold Connect maintains pre-approved KYC profiles with several Swiss refinery partners, significantly accelerating the onboarding timeline for sellers we represent.

5. Minimum Purity — 22 Karat and Above

Swiss refineries typically require a minimum of 22K (916 fineness) for DRC alluvial gold. Higher-purity dore bars — smelted to 90–95% before export — are strongly preferred, as they reduce the refinery's processing cost and improve pricing terms for the supplier. DRC alluvial gold from Ituri and North Kivu consistently tests at 22–23K, making it well-suited for direct Swiss refinery supply.

The Swiss Refinery Onboarding Process

Getting approved as a direct supplier to a Swiss refinery is a multi-step process that typically takes 6–12 weeks from first contact to first shipment. Here is the standard sequence:

1. Initial introduction — formal letter of introduction with company profile and indicative supply volumes
2. KYC submission — full compliance package submitted to refinery compliance team
3. Sample shipment — small trial shipment (500g–1kg) with full documentation for assay and compliance review
4. Supplier approval — refinery issues formal supplier approval and pricing framework
5. First commercial shipment — agreed volume with pre-negotiated pricing terms
6. Ongoing relationship — monthly or quarterly shipments with standing pricing arrangement

How Congo Gold Connect Facilitates Swiss Refinery Supply

The gap between raw DRC alluvial gold and a Swiss refinery-ready shipment is significant. It requires deep knowledge of both the African artisanal mining sector and the Swiss regulatory environment — a combination that very few intermediaries genuinely possess.

Congo Gold Connect bridges this gap by managing every step of the supply chain: sourcing from verified mining cooperatives in Ituri and North Kivu, commissioning independent assay testing, compiling a full OECD-compliant due diligence file, handling DRC export permitting, transporting securely to Entebbe Airport, and liaising directly with refinery compliance and purchasing teams in Switzerland. Our established relationships with Swiss refinery buyers mean that new shipments from our verified supply chain can be onboarded significantly faster than a first-time independent supplier.