Where Gold
Meets Integrity.
Underground.
Artisanal alluvial mining carried out by licensed cooperatives in Cameroon's mineral heartland. We don't extract gold from communities — we build them up alongside every gram we mine.
Our Locations
Four Regions.
One Standard.
Cameroon's geological belt running from the Central Region through the East produces some of West Africa's finest alluvial gold. Our cooperatives operate across four licensed zones.
- 01Nkondjock & Surrounds, Littoral
Primary operational base. River basin alluvial deposits with consistently high 22K+ purity. Home to our field assay station and cooperative headquarters.
- 02Batouri Corridor, East Region
Gold-bearing fluvial deposits along tributaries of the Kadéï River. Rich in natural nuggets favoured by jewellery buyers and collectors.
- 03Lomié Basin, East Region
Deeper alluvial workings yielding high-volume dust production. Primary source of our bulk dorè output for refinery-bound shipments.
- 04Meiganga Zone, Adamawa
Emerging production zone with newly licensed cooperative. Early assay results indicate excellent purity grades aligned with our 22K standard.
The Process
Five Steps from
Riverbed to Record
Our mining process is deliberately low-impact, high-integrity. Every step is documented, supervised, and traceable. No step involves chemical extraction.
Geological survey followed by MINMIDT permit application. Sites are GPS-mapped before any extraction begins. Environmental baseline recorded.
Cooperative members pan alluvial sediment by hand using traditional sluice boxes and mercury-free jigs. Daily extraction volumes are logged.
Each day's yield is weighed, classified, and recorded by an Africore field supervisor. Cooperative members receive payment receipts at point of weighing.
Gold transported to our field station for XRF spectrometry within 48 hours. Purity percentage, weight, and batch ID are digitally recorded and uploaded.
Certified batches sealed, QR-coded, and transferred under chain-of-custody protocols to Douala for MINMIDT export processing and international dispatch.
Our Partners
Cooperatives Built
on Fair Partnership
Before Africore, these miners were exploited by informal middlemen who paid below-spot prices and provided zero documentation. We changed that model entirely.
- Fixed above-spot pricing agreed at season start — no price surprises, no exploitation
- All miners hold formal employment contracts with accident insurance coverage
- Cooperative members receive 15% revenue share above base wage from export profits
- Safety equipment, training, and medical access provided at Africore's cost
- Zero child labour — enforced by field supervisors and quarterly external audits
- Women miners comprise 38% of our cooperative workforce — above regional average
Founding cooperative partner. 48 licensed members operating 3 alluvial sites in the Littoral region. Primary producer of gold dust and collector-grade nuggets.
East region cooperative covering Batouri and Lomié zones. 52 members specialising in high-volume alluvial dust production and bulk dorè consolidation.
Newest Africore partner. 24 members operating newly licensed sites in the Meiganga zone. Currently in production ramp-up phase with initial assay results exceeding expectations.
Extraction Methods
How We Extract Gold
Without Destroying the Land
Every method used by Africore cooperatives is mercury-free, cyanide-free, and designed to minimise ecological disruption. We operate on alluvial surfaces only — no underground blasting, no open-pit excavation.
The oldest and cleanest gold recovery method. River sediment is scooped, mixed with water, and rotated in a pan. Gold's high density causes it to settle to the base while lighter materials wash away. Requires zero chemicals and leaves waterways intact.
- Zero chemical input — water only
- Minimal ground disturbance
- Easily reversible environmental footprint
- Low cost — maximises cooperative earnings
A controlled water flow channels sediment over ribbed mats inside a wooden or aluminium sluice box. Gold particles caught in riffles while lighter sediment flushes through. Increases daily recovery volume without chemical use.
- 10–20× higher recovery than pan alone
- Reusable equipment with low maintenance
- Water recycled through closed-loop system
- Suitable for sandy and clay-rich sediments
After initial recovery, gold is hand-sorted under magnification by trained classifiers. Nuggets are separated from dust, sized, and visually graded. Larger specimen nuggets destined for collector and jewellery markets are individually catalogued.
- Maximises per-gram value through grading
- Collector nuggets receive premium pricing
- Visual quality record created per batch
- Employs skilled cooperative members year-round
X-ray fluorescence spectrometry provides non-destructive elemental analysis of each batch within 48 hours of extraction. The XRF identifies gold purity percentage, silver content, and trace elements — providing the data foundation for our assay certificates.
- Non-destructive — no gold lost in testing
- Results in under 60 seconds per sample
- Digital records linked to batch QR code
- Independently verified at certified lab before export
Regulatory Framework
Fully Licensed.
Fully Documented.
Africore Gold operates under Cameroon's mining law and international due diligence frameworks. Every permit, every certificate, every export document is auditable and accessible.
- MINMIDT Artisanal Mining Permits
All cooperative sites hold valid artisanal mining permits issued by Cameroon's Ministry of Mines, Industries and Technological Development. Permits renewed annually with site inspections.
- OECD Due Diligence Guidance
Full compliance with the OECD 5-Step Framework for Responsible Supply Chains. Annual third-party audit conducted by accredited assessors confirms zero conflict financing.
- RJC Chain-of-Custody Certification
Responsible Jewellery Council CoC certification covering our full supply chain from extraction to export. Re-certified annually through on-site audit and documentary review.
- Environmental Management Plan
All sites operate under a MINMIDT-approved Environmental Management Plan covering water usage, tailings disposal, vegetation restoration, and annual environmental impact monitoring.
Community Impact
Mining That Builds.
Not Just Extracts.
A portion of every export revenue is allocated directly to community projects in cooperative villages. This is not charity — it is a structural part of our operating model.
Two primary schools constructed in Nkondjock and Lomié from gold export revenue. Combined enrolment of 340 children from cooperative family communities.
Three clean-water wells drilled and commissioned in mining villages, providing safe drinking water to over 800 residents previously reliant on unfiltered river sources.
All active cooperative members covered by CNPS accident insurance and annual health screening — a first for artisanal miners in these regions who previously had no workplace protection.
Our Journey
How We Built
Ethical Operations
from Scratch
Founder Marie-Claire Ngo Minka begins 18 months of field research in Cameroon's alluvial gold regions, documenting exploitation of artisanal miners by informal buyers and identifying cooperative partnership opportunities.
Africore formalises partnership with Coopérative Minière Nkondjock. First MINMIDT artisanal mining permits issued. Field assay station established. First export shipment of 2.3 kg completed to a UAE refinery.
Africore Gold awarded Responsible Jewellery Council Chain-of-Custody certification after 14-month audit process. Groupement Minier de l'Est cooperative onboarded. Export volume doubles. First school construction begins in Nkondjock.
Full OECD due diligence framework implemented with independent auditor. QR traceability system launched. Buyer network expands to 12 countries across Europe, the Gulf, and Asia. Three clean-water wells completed in cooperative villages.
Third cooperative partner onboarded in Meiganga, Adamawa Region. Export destinations reach 18 countries. Second school opens in Lomié. Africore cited in OECD African artisanal mining best-practice report.
Source Responsibly
Mine-to-Market Gold.
Full Traceability Included.
Our trade team is ready to discuss volumes, certifications, and delivery terms with qualified buyers worldwide.
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