The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) is tightening the rules for gold purity verification, with X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing set to become mandatory for all gold purchases from September 1, 2026.
Under a new compliance directive issued on August 17, GoldBod said XRF testing will become the standard method for determining the purity of gold doré purchased by the Board and its licensed buyers.
The move effectively ends the use of the water density method as the final basis for determining gold purity.
GoldBod has directed all licensed buyers to acquire suitable XRF machines and train personnel to operate them properly. They will also be required to keep records of XRF results for every gold purchase.
The requirement will extend across the buying chain. Licensed aggregators are expected to provide appropriate XRF equipment to their Tier 1 and Tier 2 buyers, allowing gold purity to be verified at the point of purchase.
However, where an XRF machine is genuinely unavailable due to operational or logistical challenges, the water density method may still be used, but only as an indicative test.
In such cases, the gold must be purchased at a minimum 0.5% purity discount, after which GoldBod will conduct its own XRF test. The Board’s result will determine the final purity and payment.
GoldBod has also introduced a tolerance margin of ±0.05% when comparing successive XRF reports for the same gold or transaction. Any variation beyond that limit will trigger further verification and reconciliation.
The new rules take effect on September 1, and GoldBod has warned that failure to comply will constitute a breach of licence conditions and could lead to regulatory or enforcement action under the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
The Board says the new system is intended to improve consistency in gold purity assessment, reduce discrepancies and bring greater transparency to gold transactions.
