The formula
Metal value = pure gold spot × purity / 100.
Maximum buy price = metal value − taxes and fees − commercial margin.
Taxes and margin are both calculated on the metal value.
Batch total = maximum buy price per gram × batch weight in grams.
Artisanal miner discipline
- Check Kitco/LBMA XAU/USD for today's spot price.
- Convert to pure gram: price per ounce / 31.1035.
- Correct by the certified or estimated purity of the lot.
- Compare offers as a percentage of spot: 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%.
- Never compare a "raw gram" price with a "pure gram" price.
DRC tax & fee breakdown
4.5% - 5.5%
Cumulative breakdown on artisanal gold export applied at DRC licensed trading counters:
| Agency / Item |
Description & regulatory reference |
Applied rate |
| DGRAD / Public Treasury |
Exit duty / Export tax
Interministerial decree Mines-Finance & Mining Code art. 234 bis
|
1.5% - 2.0% |
| CEEC (Assay and Certification Centre) |
Assay, sealing, tracking & certification
Technical expertise and sealing remuneration
|
1.0% |
| SAEMAPE |
Artisanal mining technical assistance
Technical support & oversight (Decree no. 17/009 of 4 April 2017)
|
1.0% |
| Mining Fund (FOMIN) |
Mining fund for future generations
Customary counter allocation (Decree no. 19/17 - under ministerial review)
|
0.5% |
| Province (Ituri / Haut-Uélé) |
Provincial royalty & local fees
Provincial tax decrees and local council charges
|
0.5% - 1.0% |
| Total cumulative rate |
4.5% - 5.5% |
Standard baseline rate (4.5%):
• Standard baseline rate applied in licensed counters (DGRAD 1.5% + CEEC 1.0% + SAEMAPE 1.0% + FOMIN 0.5% + Province 0.5%). Note: the 0.5% FOMIN share reflects customary counter practice pending publication of the specific interministerial decree for artisanal export.
Exceptions & special regimes:
• Primera Gold: Preferential rate ~0.25% - 1.0% to curb cross-border smuggling.
• Local trading (domestic): 0% export tax if resold within DRC without export.
Isiro vs Kinshasa
Isiro / Haut-Uélé:
Prices depend on local cash liquidity, transport, security and buyer competition. Native gold typical purity: 92-94%.
Kinshasa:
Export-counter logic: formal consolidation, institutional compliance, and documentary risk prevail.
Field benchmarks (eastern DRC)
Field studies (Reuters/IMPACT, IPIS/Levin Sources) show that licensed exporters in Bunia pay around 90% of LBMA spot, informal buyers offer 93-95%, and up to 98% in Butembo. Direct mine sites typically trade at 80-85%.
Alert: Anything below 80% for a clean batch flags a predatory discount or unverified purity.
Before closing any deal
The maximum buy price is your upper limit after purity, the entered tax rate and desired margin. Density is only a preliminary screen; always require laboratory assay, certified weight, and formal legal documentation for significant quantities.
Need ounce and gram conversions?
