Small-scale supply, without the blind spots.
Every mine with a Certified MUCC code has had its licence, ownership, location and working practices checked, including a site visit. Every lot sold through an approved provider is recorded against that code. This page sets out exactly what we check, what we record, and what is still being built.
The question every buyer must answer
In many countries, buying minerals from someone who isn’t licensed to sell them is an offence. ASMRAF checks every mine’s legal permissions for its actual activities before it issues a Certified MUCC code. That supports the checks you’re required to make; it doesn’t replace them.
What the framework is designed to provide
Know the mine. Legal status, ownership, location, labour and safety practices, checked on site.
Know the lot. Each lot sold through an approved provider is recorded against the mine’s MUCC code, with weight, assay results, handovers and payment.
Risk-based checks. Country and high-risk-area screening, desk review, site assessment and corrective action plans, designed around the five steps of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance.
Checks that continue. Desk reviews and risk-based visits carry on after verification. Serious incidents, credible grievances or unfinished fixes trigger a review or suspension.
A grievance route that works. Concerns from miners, communities and buyers are logged, reviewed and, where needed, referred to an independent reviewer under the adopted procedure.
Separate roles. ASMRAF verifies, approved providers run the sale, and nobody with a stake in a mine or its minerals decides its status.
Any mineral or metal
ASMRAF works with artisanal and small-scale mines producing any mineral or metal, from gold and copper to cobalt, tin, lithium and rare earths.
How a mine gets verified
Proposed process, from registration to continuing review. Named roles and operating arrangements must be adopted before launch.
Registration
Provisional MUCC code and self-assessment
Baseline review
Documents and risk screening
Site assessment
An assessor visits the mine
Corrective action
Gaps fixed against a plan
Verification decision
Certified MUCC code and certificate
Approved provider
Each lot sold is recorded
Surveillance and renewal
Continuing checks and a recorded review date
From mine to record
How a verified mine’s sales become records that officials and buyers can rely on.
Verified mine
Checked against national law and ASMRAF’s requirements.
MUCC code
One permanent code per mine, such as MUCC-2026-000144.
Approved provider
MinePay, or another approved provider, records each sale.
Lot record
Weight, assay results, handovers, buyer and payment, filed under the mine’s code.
Authorised access
ASMRAF, auditors and the provider. Approved buyers see the records of lots they buy, and regulators what the law requires, under confidentiality agreements. Never public.
This is how the system is designed to work. See which parts are live today.
Technology, and where it stands
| Service | What it does | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MUCC registry | Records each mine’s identity and verification status | Shared test registrations available; real registration closed |
| Lot records | Chain of custody for each lot, from mine to buyer | MinePay pilot; full ASMRAF service not yet live |
| Tamper-evident lot seals | Shows if a sealed lot has been opened or swapped | Supplier and fulfilment services agreed |
| Satellite and geospatial checks | Confirms the site and watches for land disturbance | Planned; not live |
| Environmental monitoring | Watches land, water and tailings around verified mines | Supplier and fulfilment services agreed |
| Geochemical fingerprinting | Scientific evidence of origin | Planned; not live |
| Permissioned ledger | Tamper-evident custody records | Delivered by blockchain partner |
| EU Digital Product Passport readiness | Data in the format future EU rules may require | Planned; not live |
These labels describe service arrangements and technical readiness, not a mine’s verification status. Agreed supplier services and partner delivery do not by themselves confirm a live connection to this website. Planned services are not evidence already obtained.
Questions buyers ask
Do you sell minerals?
No. ASMRAF is a not-for-profit and doesn’t buy, sell or handle payments. Sales run through approved providers, such as MinePay, between the mine and you.
Can we look up a MUCC code?
No public lookup is available. Proposed buyer access is limited to information needed for an authorised transaction, subject to confidentiality and lawful disclosure. National ID details are not part of the MinePay registry link.
What happens when you find a red flag?
We investigate. Serious human-rights or environmental harm, falsified data, tampering with lots or their records, unfinished corrective actions, or obstructing checks lead to a review or suspension. Notification responsibilities and delivery must be configured before operation; automatic alerts are not yet live.
Can traders and aggregators take part?
They can enquire about participation. The proposed terms require legal permissions, due diligence, traceability and separate ASMRAF admission; an enquiry is not approval.
Who audits ASMRAF?
An independent auditor and appointment date have not yet been confirmed.
What paperwork comes with a sale?
Assay results, weighbridge slips, and the transport documents and export permits the law requires.
Can we visit a mine?
Visits must be agreed with the mine and ASMRAF, with consent, safety planning and confidentiality. Buyer participation does not give automatic access to a site.
What volumes can you supply?
ASMRAF does not sell minerals and has not published a verified supply pipeline. Quantity and availability must be established for each transaction.
Become an approved buyer
The draft participation terms require legal permissions, due diligence, traceability and a written admission decision. Tell us about your business to begin an enquiry. Response times have not yet been agreed.