Choosing a gold trade partner in West Africa is, above all, an exercise in verification — because this is one of the most scam-saturated trades in the world, and the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, the Ghana Chamber of Mines, and others warn international buyers about it directly. The legitimate partner is the one who can prove every claim. Kronix Metals is that institutional, documented facilitator, since 1992. Discuss a supply partnership: +233 27 000 0844. Institutional partners only.

The Five-Point Verification Checklist

1. They Operate Within GoldBod Act 1140 — Verify It

Under the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), GoldBod is the sole legal buyer, assayer and exporter of artisanal and small-scale gold. Foreigners were barred from local gold trading from 1 May 2025, and all old PMMC trading licences are void. A legitimate partner operates within that framework — and never claims to be GoldBod, to mine, or to be a refinery. Ask, and verify.

2. They Assay and Certify — No Certificate, No Trade

Fineness is determined and certified by assay — fire assay or XRF — not asserted. A legitimate partner provides documented assay results for the material, every time.

3. They Document Chain-of-Custody and OECD Due Diligence

The material is traceable from origin to delivery through a documented chain-of-custody, with OECD-aligned due diligence on every counterparty and source. A legitimate partner can show you that record; a scam cannot.

4. They Price Against International Spot — Never Below

Gold is priced against the international spot price (LBMA / COMEX). There is no “Ghana gold price”. Any offer below spot, at a discount, with an advance fee, an escrow demand, or a “guaranteed” parcel is the signature of a 419 advance-fee scam — walk away.

5. They Are Institutional and Documented — Not Unsolicited “Buy Gold” Offers

A legitimate partner is an institutional, documented operation with a named, accountable, verifiable point of contact. An unsolicited “buy gold dust from Ghana” offer, a Gmail-only contact, or pressure to send money fast is the opposite.

Legitimate Partner vs Scam Signature

| Signal | Legitimate partner | Scam signature | |---|---|---| | Regulatory framing | Operates within GoldBod Act 1140; never claims to be GoldBod | Vague, false, or impersonates the regulator | | Assay | Documented assay certificate, every lot | “Trust us”, no certificate | | Traceability | Documented chain-of-custody + OECD due diligence | No record of origin | | Pricing | Against international spot — never below | “Below spot”, “discount”, advance fee | | Conduct | Institutional, named contact, documented transaction | Unsolicited offer, escrow demand, “guaranteed” parcel |

Why Price Is the Clearest Test

The “Ghana gold” / “gold dust from Ghana” search space is saturated with advance-fee (419) fraud, and authorities warn about it explicitly. The U.S. Embassy in Ghana states that gold is never sold at a discount and the price is dictated by the international market; the Ghana Chamber of Mines warns that off-market “discounts” are bait for escalating advance fees — transport, commission, security, documentation, insurance. The single most reliable test is therefore price: a legitimate partner quotes against international spot and never below it. Everything else — assay, chain-of-custody, OECD due diligence, institutional conduct — confirms it.

Markets We Genuinely Serve

Kronix Metals facilitates trade between West African supply and institutional buyers in the United Kingdom and major European markets, across Africa, and through the Ghana–Togo (Lomé) corridor and Francophone West Africa — in English and French. We describe only the markets we genuinely serve; we are an institutional B2B partner, not a retail seller.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know a West African gold partner is legitimate and not a scam?

A legitimate partner operates within Ghana’s GoldBod Act 1140, provides assay certificates, can show a documented chain-of-custody and OECD-aligned due diligence, and prices against international spot — never below. The clearest scam signal is price: the U.S. Embassy in Ghana states plainly that gold is never sold at a discount. Any offer below spot, any advance fee, escrow demand, or “guaranteed” parcel, or any unsolicited “buy gold dust” approach is the 419 scam signature. Kronix Metals is an institutional, documented facilitator within the GoldBod framework; we do not mine, we are not a refinery, and we are not GoldBod.

Why is “below spot” or “discounted Ghana gold” a red flag?

Because there is no separate “Ghana gold price” and no legitimate dealer can sell gold below the international spot it is priced against. A discount-to-spot offer is the bait in an advance-fee (419) scam: once you engage, escalating “fees” appear. The U.S. Embassy in Ghana and the Ghana Chamber of Mines both warn about exactly this.

What documents should a legitimate gold trade partner be able to show?

Documented assay results (fire assay or XRF), a chain-of-custody record from origin to delivery, OECD-aligned due-diligence records on counterparties and source, and — for export — full GRA Customs documentation and the National-Assayer seals required under the GoldBod regime. If a partner cannot produce these, the transaction is not legitimate.

Choosing a Legitimate Gold Trade Partner — the full diligence checklist
International Gold Trade Facilitation — the compliant trade, end to end
Responsible Sourcing in West Africa — OECD due diligence at scale
Assaying & Quality Verification — certified fineness
Precious Metals Export, Ghana–Togo — the corridor, documented & compliant