Towards transparency in the supply of mined gold – an approach based on scientific analyses

This page gives a general overview of our new research project. For more information, click on the blue links.

In a nutshell

Gold is of increasing importance in terms of its social, environmental and geopolitical issues. Switzerland is one of the key players in this market, not only for trading but also for refining. It is becoming urgent to know where the gold is coming from.
Our project provides a powerful tool for determining the source of modern gold issued from primary production. By this, we contribute to responding concretely and rigorously to the demands of society and the markets for greater transparency in the gold trading sector.
Our approach is based on scientific analyses (isotopic, chemical and statistical). It therefore provides scientific proof, making fraud difficult.

Concretely

Our project aims at the confirmation of origin declared by the gold suppliers.
We offer a geoforensic gold passport that describes the scientific signature (chemical, isotopic and statistical) of a supplier and enables us to differentiate one supplier from another.

Total resource needs:	CHF 700’000.- including overhead according to the University of Lausanne rules and VAT
Already granted funding:	CHF 63’000.- Financial support
Contact:	Barbara Beck, [email protected], +41 76 398 1228 Our team
Other information:	Press release, newspaper articles Picture gallery Former Metalor Project

Sub-project title	Financial resources required	Already granted funding
0. General information, state of the art
1. Automation of the selection of non-conforming doré bars on arrival at the refinery	CHF 300’000.-	CHF 15’000.-
2. Influences of ore deposits and metallurgical treatments on the chemical composition of the doré bars	CHF 200’000.-
3. At the interface between industrial and artisanal mining: implications and adaptations	entirely funded
4. Amalgamation or not? Determining the nature of the mercury present in gold	CHF 20’000.-	CHF 5’000.-
5. Visibility and knowledge transfer	CHF 180’000.-	CHF 43’000.-
6. Artisanal Gold Refinery in Africa	CHF 100’000.-
7. Geoforensic passeport of a single mine / supplier	depending on the complexity of the site

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