Gold Refineries in Singapore — Listed for Major Refineries

Gold refineries in Singapore: Singapore has four primary gold refineries of international significance: (1) Metalor Technologies Singapore — LBMA Good Delivery listed, Swiss heritage, largest refinery in Singapore by throughput; (2) Nadir Metal Rafineri Singapore — Turkish-owned, LBMA-listed, high-volume doré processor; (3) Asahi Refining Singapore — Japanese-owned, LBMA-listed, formerly Johnson Matthey; (4) Singapore Precious Metals Exchange (SGPMX) — affiliated refining and trading hub. Singapore is Asia’s third-largest gold trading hub after Shanghai and Hong Kong, processing gold from Australia, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

All major Singapore refineries are located in Jurong Industrial Estate or Tuas industrial zones. For certified African gold bars refined to LBMA 999.9 standard, visit goldbarsuppliers.com.

Singapore’s gold refining industry occupies a strategically critical position in the global precious metals supply chain — serving as Asia’s primary gateway for gold processed from Australian mines, African doré exports, and Southeast Asian artisanal production before distribution to buyers across China, India, Japan, South Korea, and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

Singapore processed approximately 400–500 metric tonnes of gold annually through its refinery complex in recent years, with this figure reflecting both doré bars imported from producing countries and recycled gold from the region’s jewellery and electronics sectors.

What distinguishes Singapore as a gold refining jurisdiction from competitors like Dubai, Switzerland, and Hong Kong is a combination of zero GST on investment gold, Singapore Customs’ efficient precious metals handling procedures, the Singapore Freeport’s world-class vaulting infrastructure adjacent to the refining sector, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) robust regulatory framework for precious metals trading.

This guide covers every major gold refinery in Singapore — their ownership, LBMA accreditation status, refining capacity, specialisation, location, and role in the global gold supply chain — as well as the regulatory framework governing Singapore’s refining sector and how African gold producers interact with Singapore’s refineries.

For certified African gold bars refined to LBMA 999.9 standard for export to Singapore and beyond, visit Gold Bar Suppliers Africa Ltd.

Singapore as a Global Gold Refining and Trading Hub — Why It Matters

Singapore’s emergence as a significant gold refining and trading hub is a deliberate product of government policy rather than geological fortune — Singapore has no gold mines. The city-state has positioned itself as the precious metals gateway for Asia’s booming gold demand by combining several structural advantages that no other Asian jurisdiction has been able to replicate:

Zero GST on Investment Gold Since 2012

The most important policy driver of Singapore’s gold industry is the Goods and Services Tax (GST) exemption on investment-grade gold introduced in 2012.

Under the Approved Refiner and Consolidator Scheme (ARCS) and the Investment Precious Metals (IPM) scheme, investment gold (minimum 99.5% purity), silver (99.9%), and platinum (99.95%) are exempt from Singapore’s 9% GST when sold by approved dealers.

This zero-GST treatment — mirroring the zero-VAT treatment for investment gold in the UK and EU — makes Singapore Asia’s most tax-efficient gold trading jurisdiction, attracting both gold producers seeking to refine and sell into the Asian market and investors seeking efficient physical gold accumulation without the 13% VAT burden they would face purchasing in China or the 3% GST in India.

Strategic Location — The Centre of Asia’s Gold Demand

Singapore sits at the geographical centre of the world’s fastest-growing gold demand region. China and India together consume approximately 50% of global annual gold demand. Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia collectively account for a further 15%.

All of these markets are within 6–7 hours of Singapore by air, and Singapore’s Changi Airport is one of the world’s most efficient precious metals transit hubs — clearing gold shipments through customs typically within hours rather than the days common at European or US airports.

For African gold producers and dealers exporting doré bars for refining in Asia, Singapore’s logistics efficiency is a significant factor in routing decisions.

The Singapore Freeport — Asia’s Premier Precious Metals Vault

The Singapore Freeport (Le Freeport Singapore, operated by Singapore Freeport Pte Ltd) is a climate-controlled, ultra-high-security freeport storage facility adjacent to Changi Airport. It houses approximately 150 tonnes of gold in allocated vault storage for institutional clients, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, sovereign funds, and family offices.

The Freeport’s co-location with Singapore’s refining sector creates a highly efficient refine-and-store model: gold arrives at Changi as doré, is refined to 999.9 fine at one of Singapore’s LBMA-listed refineries, and is immediately transferred to Freeport allocated storage — all without leaving Singapore’s bonded zone and all without incurring GST, because the gold never technically enters Singapore’s domestic market.

Singapore’s Approved Refiner and Consolidator Scheme (ARCS)

The ARCS framework administered by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) is the regulatory foundation of Singapore’s gold refining sector. ARCS-approved refiners are authorised to import gold (including doré bars from African and Australian mines), refine to investment-grade purity, and sell GST-exempt to other ARCS participants or directly to retail buyers as Investment Precious Metals (IPM).

Becoming an ARCS-approved refiner requires demonstrating financial stability, refining capability to minimum purity standards, and compliance with Singapore’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations under the Precious Stones and Precious Metals (PSPM) Act 2019.

Singapore Gold Hub Metric	Data / Detail
Annual gold throughput	~400–500 metric tonnes (refinery throughput incl. doré processing and recycled gold)
Asia ranking as gold hub	3rd largest in Asia — after Shanghai (China) and Hong Kong/Dubai dispute 2nd
Primary gold sources	Australia (largest), African nations (Ghana, Tanzania, DRC, Mali), Southeast Asian artisanal
GST on investment gold	0% — under the Investment Precious Metals (IPM) / ARCS exemption scheme since 2012
LBMA Good Delivery-listed refineries	3 primary refineries (Metalor, Nadir, Asahi) plus indirect participants
Primary refinery zone	Jurong Industrial Estate and Tuas (western Singapore)
Gold vault infrastructure	Singapore Freeport (Le Freeport) near Changi Airport; Brinks Singapore; G4S Singapore
Regulatory framework	Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) + IRAS (ARCS/IPM) + Customs + PSPM Act 2019
Key trade agreements	CPTPP member; ASEAN Free Trade Area; multiple bilateral FTAs facilitating gold trade
Singapore Precious Metals Exchange	SGPMX — Singapore’s gold trading exchange for physical gold and OTC transactions

Metalor Technologies Singapore — Singapore’s Largest LBMA-Listed Gold Refinery

Metalor Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd is Singapore’s largest and most internationally recognised gold refinery — and one of the most significant precious metals refineries in the entire Asia-Pacific region.

Metalor is a subsidiary of Metalor Technologies International SA — the Swiss precious metals refining group headquartered in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, which was acquired by TANAKA Precious Metals (Japan’s largest precious metals company) in 2016.

The Singapore operation serves as Metalor’s Asian hub, processing gold primarily from Australian, African, and Southeast Asian origins for distribution across the region.

Metalor Singapore — Key Data

Data Point	Detail
Full name	Metalor Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd
Ownership	Metalor Technologies International SA (Switzerland) — subsidiary of TANAKA Precious Metals (Japan) since 2016
LBMA Good Delivery	Yes — listed on LBMA Good Delivery List for gold. Bars carry LBMA-recognised “METALOR” hallmark
Location	Tuas, western Singapore (Singapore’s western industrial zone)
Refining capacity	Estimated 100–200 metric tonnes per year gold; also refines silver and platinum group metals
Primary inputs	Doré bars from Australian mines; African doré (Ghana, Tanzania, DRC); recycled jewellery/electronic scrap
Primary outputs	999.9 fine gold bars (1 oz, 100g, 400 oz LBMA Good Delivery); granules; high-purity industrial gold
Refining technology	Miller chlorination + Wohlwill electrolytic refining to 999.9+ fine; silver and PGM separation
Quality certification	ISO 17025 accredited laboratory; LBMA Responsible Gold Guidance compliant; RJC certified
Primary customers	Central banks, commercial banks, gold ETF custodians, jewellery manufacturers, industrial users across Asia
Supply chain compliance	Metalor Singapore participates in LBMA Responsible Gold Programme; OECD supply chain due diligence compliant

Metalor’s Gold Refining Process in Singapore

Metalor Singapore operates a two-stage precious metals refining process capable of taking gold from raw doré bar input (typically 70–95% gold, with silver, copper, and other metals as by-products) to 999.9 fine LBMA-standard output:

Stage 1 — Miller Chlorination Process: Molten doré gold is treated with chlorine gas, which reacts selectively with base metals and silver (forming soluble or volatile chlorides) while leaving gold unreacted at 99.5%+ purity. This process is fast (hours) and high-throughput — suitable for processing large doré bar volumes from mining operations. The silver chloride by-product is separately reduced to recover silver value
Stage 2 — Wohlwill Electrolytic Refining: The Miller-chlorinated gold (99.5% pure) is cast as anodes in an electrolytic cell with a gold chloride electrolyte (HAuCl₄). When current is applied, pure gold (99.99%+) plates onto thin gold cathode blanks while impurities accumulate in the anode slime. The Wohlwill process achieves the 999.9 fine standard required for LBMA Good Delivery bars, COMEX delivery, and gold ETF custodial eligibility
Assay and certification: Every production batch is fire-assayed and XRF-verified by Metalor’s ISO 17025-accredited in-house laboratory before bars are sealed, stamped with weight and fineness, and released for delivery

Metalor Singapore and African Gold

Metalor Singapore has established direct supply chain relationships with several African mining companies — particularly in Ghana, Tanzania, and the DRC — whose doré bar output is shipped to Singapore for refining.

For African gold producers and licensed African gold exporters like Gold Bar Suppliers Africa Ltd, Metalor Singapore’s LBMA Good Delivery accreditation means that doré bars refined at Metalor Singapore produce bars directly accepted in London, New York, Dubai, and all other major gold trading centres

without re-assaying. This is critically important for African gold supply chains: doré refined in Singapore by an LBMA Good Delivery-listed refiner achieves the same international market access as doré refined in Switzerland by PAMP or Valcambi. For information on certified African gold bars ready for Singapore or international delivery, see Gold Bar Suppliers Africa Ltd.

Nadir Metal Rafineri Singapore — High-Volume Doré Processor

Nadir Metal Rafineri A.Ş. is a Turkish precious metals refining group that operates one of Singapore’s most significant gold processing operations through its Singapore subsidiary. Founded in Istanbul in 1948, Nadir has grown to become one of the world’s largest doré bar processors — with particular strength in taking raw unrefined gold from artisanal and small-scale mining operations across Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East and refining it to LBMA Good Delivery standard. Nadir’s Singapore operation was established to serve the Asian market and handles a significant volume of African doré, including from West African artisanal mining networks where formal mine documentation may be less complete than at industrial operations.

Nadir Metal Singapore — Key Data

Data Point	Detail
Full name	Nadir Metal Rafineri Pte Ltd (Singapore subsidiary of Nadir Metal Rafineri A.Ş., Turkey)
Ownership	Nadir Metal Rafineri A.Ş. — Turkish family-owned precious metals group; Founded Istanbul 1948
LBMA Good Delivery	Yes — listed on LBMA Good Delivery List for gold. “NADIR” hallmark bars LBMA-recognised
Location	Jurong Industrial Estate, western Singapore
Refining capacity	Estimated 150–300 metric tonnes per year gold — one of Asia’s highest-throughput doré processors
Primary inputs	Doré bars from West African artisanal networks; industrial mining doré; recycled gold
Primary outputs	999.9 fine gold bars in multiple formats; granules; silver bars; gold grain for jewellery
Specialisation	High-volume doré processing including complex mixed-source gold with variable purity inputs
Supply chain compliance	LBMA Responsible Gold Guidance participant; AML/KYC compliance under Singapore PSPM Act 2019
Parent company scale	Nadir Group (Turkey) processes estimated 300–400 tonnes/yr globally across Istanbul and Singapore

Nadir’s Role in the African Gold Supply Chain

Nadir Metal Rafineri’s Singapore operation plays a particularly significant role in processing West and Central African doré for the Asian market. Unlike some Swiss refineries that prefer industrial mining doré with complete documentation, Nadir’s commercial model accommodates a wider range of input sources — including gold from licensed artisanal trading networks in Ghana, the DRC, Mali, Guinea, and Cameroon — provided that appropriate OECD-standard due diligence documentation accompanies the shipment.

This makes Nadir Singapore an important conduit for African gold entering Asian markets in forms that Swiss or Australian refineries might not accept without additional verification steps.

For African gold exporters — whether licensed dealers handling artisanal gold or industrial mining companies — Nadir Singapore’s flexibility on input form and documentation (within LBMA Responsible Gold and OECD parameters) makes it one of the most practically important Singapore gold refineries for African gold supply chains.

Doré shipped from African producing countries to Nadir Singapore is refined to 999.9 fine and returned as LBMA Good Delivery-standard bars — which then enter Asian gold markets at full international market value. See our African gold doré bars for sale page for how Gold Bar Suppliers Africa Ltd sources and exports doré for international processing.

Asahi Refining Singapore — Japanese Precision in Asia’s Gold Market

Asahi Refining Singapore Pte Ltd is the Singapore operation of Asahi Holdings Inc. — a Japanese precious metals company that in 2015 acquired the global gold and silver refining business of Johnson Matthey, one of the most respected names in precious metals technology and refining.

Johnson Matthey’s refining operations in Salt Lake City, Brampton (Canada), Royston (UK), and Asahi’s broader network have been consolidated under the Asahi Refining brand.

The Singapore facility — formerly Johnson Matthey Singapore — continues to operate in the same Jurong Industrial Estate location and with the same technical team that built its reputation under the Johnson Matthey name.

Asahi Refining Singapore — Key Data

Data Point	Detail
Full name	Asahi Refining Singapore Pte Ltd (formerly Johnson Matthey Refining Singapore)
Ownership	Asahi Holdings Inc. (Japan) — acquired Johnson Matthey refining operations globally in 2015
LBMA Good Delivery	Yes — listed on LBMA Good Delivery List for gold. Asahi’s bars carry LBMA recognition globally
Location	Jurong Industrial Estate, western Singapore
Refining capacity	Estimated 50–120 metric tonnes per year gold; also processes silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium
Primary inputs	Electronic scrap (high-grade PCBs, connector pins); industrial process waste; some doré from mining
Specialisation	Electronics/industrial recycling and high-purity PGM separation; gold from complex mixed scrap matrices
Primary customers	Electronics manufacturers (Samsung, TSMC supply chain), dental labs, industrial chemical companies
Technical heritage	Johnson Matthey precious metals technology — world-class PGM separation and industrial gold purity
Certifications	ISO 14001 environmental; ISO 9001 quality; RJC certified; LBMA Responsible Gold compliant

Asahi Singapore’s Specialisation — Electronic Scrap and Industrial Gold

Asahi Refining Singapore is distinguished from Metalor and Nadir by its specialisation in complex secondary feed materials — particularly electronic and industrial scrap rather than mining doré as its primary gold source. Singapore is one of the world’s largest electronics manufacturing hubs — home to regional operations of Samsung, Broadcom, GlobalFoundries, and dozens of major semiconductor and printed circuit board companies.

These operations generate significant volumes of gold-bearing scrap: spent circuit boards, used electrical connectors, plating bath solutions, and industrial catalyst residues, all of which contain recoverable gold at concentrations far above primary ore grades.

Asahi Singapore’s proprietary precious metals separation technology — inherited from Johnson Matthey’s decades of PGM research — is particularly well-suited to recovering gold from complex mixed-metal scrap matrices where gold is co-present with platinum, palladium, rhodium, copper, silver, and tin.

The facility processes these materials through a combination of hydrometallurgical (chemical dissolution) and pyrometallurgical (smelting) steps to separate and purify each precious metal to its highest achievable purity before certification and sale.

Asahi Singapore and the African Gold Connection

While Asahi Singapore’s primary focus is industrial and electronic scrap rather than mining doré, the refinery’s LBMA Good Delivery accreditation means that any gold refined at Asahi Singapore — regardless of whether it originated in a West African mine or a Singapore electronics recycling stream — carries the same international market recognition.

For African gold producers and exporters whose doré bars enter Singapore’s refining network, Asahi Singapore represents an additional refinery option particularly for gold-bearing materials with complex chemistry that might be less efficiently processed by a standard doré refinery.

See Gold Bar Suppliers Africa Ltd’s raw gold sourcing options for African gold in various forms available for international buyers and processors.

UOB Bullion and Other Bank-Affiliated Gold Processors in Singapore

Beyond the three primary stand-alone refineries, Singapore’s gold market includes bank-affiliated gold processing and vault operations that play a significant role in the city-state’s precious metals ecosystem:

United Overseas Bank (UOB) Bullion — Singapore’s Largest Bank Gold Dealer

UOB Bullion and Futures Ltd is Singapore’s largest bank-affiliated gold dealer and one of the primary institutional participants in Singapore’s physical gold market. While UOB does not operate a refinery in the traditional sense, it maintains accredited vault storage, precious metals accounts, and physical gold bar dealing services that serve as a critical link between Singapore’s refining sector and institutional gold buyers across Asia.

UOB issues “UOB Gold Bars” — 100g and 1kg bars carrying the UOB hallmark — that are manufactured from 999.9 fine gold sourced from LBMA-listed refineries including Metalor Singapore and Metalor Switzerland. These bars are sold to Singapore retail and institutional investors and are the most widely recognised gold bar brand among Singapore domestic gold buyers.

DBS and OCBC — Singapore’s Other Major Bank Gold Services

Both DBS Bank and OCBC Bank operate gold investment accounts and physical gold dealing services for Singapore retail and institutional clients. Neither maintains an independent refinery, but both source physical gold from LBMA-listed refineries (including Singapore-based ones) and play important roles as distribution channels for Singapore-refined gold into the retail savings and investment market.

DBS’s “Multi Currency Account” gold feature and OCBC’s physical gold dealing services together represent a significant proportion of Singapore’s retail investment gold demand.

Singapore Precious Metals Exchange (SGPMX)

The Singapore Precious Metals Exchange (SGPMX) is Singapore’s dedicated physical precious metals exchange — a market infrastructure platform established to facilitate trading of physical gold and silver between institutional participants including refineries, banks, traders, and miners.

SGPMX operates on a kilobar-denominated (1kg bars) standard contract basis, with physical delivery of Singapore-refined gold bars from SGPMX-recognised vault operators.

The exchange is designed to reduce Singapore’s dependence on London-priced gold by creating an Asian price-discovery mechanism for the Asian trading session — though SGPMX volumes remain a fraction of London OTC volumes. Singapore’s SGPMX connects directly with China’s Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) through a Singapore Bullion Market Association (SBMA) initiative to develop an integrated Asian precious metals pricing framework.

LBMA Good Delivery — Why It Is the Most Important Standard for Singapore Gold Refineries

The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) Good Delivery standard is the globally accepted quality certification for gold and silver bars traded between professional market participants.

A refinery listed on the LBMA Good Delivery List is confirmed to produce bars meeting minimum 995 parts per thousand fine gold purity (with Metalor, Nadir, and Asahi all producing to the higher 999.9 standard), with acceptable weight tolerances, and with reliable assay and hallmarking procedures.

For Singapore’s refineries, LBMA Good Delivery listing is commercially critical because:

Central bank eligibility: Central banks — which together hold over 35,000 tonnes of gold reserves globally — will only accept LBMA Good Delivery bars. Singapore refineries’ LBMA status makes their output eligible for central bank reserve purchases across Asia
ETF custodial eligibility: Major gold ETFs (SPDR Gold Shares, iShares Gold, SPDR Gold MiniShares) require custodial gold to be in LBMA Good Delivery bar form. Singapore-refined LBMA-listed bars can be held as ETF backing
COMEX delivery eligibility: Gold futures contracts on the COMEX exchange (New York) require physical delivery in LBMA Good Delivery bar form — giving Singapore refineries’ output access to the world’s largest gold derivatives market
Cross-border liquidity: An LBMA-hallmarked bar from Metalor Singapore will be accepted without re-assaying by any professional dealer in London, Zurich, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, or Tokyo — creating truly global liquidity for Singapore-refined gold

Singapore Refinery	LBMA Good Delivery (Gold)	LBMA Good Delivery (Silver)	Parent Country	Primary Specialisation
Metalor Technologies Singapore	Yes — listed	Yes — listed	Switzerland/Japan	Mining doré; industrial gold; investment bars
Nadir Metal Rafineri Singapore	Yes — listed	Yes — listed	Turkey	High-volume doré; African/Asian artisanal gold
Asahi Refining Singapore	Yes — listed	Yes — listed	Japan	Electronic scrap; industrial recycling; PGMs
UOB Bullion (bank)	No (not a refinery)	No	Singapore	Retail/institutional gold bar sales; vault
SGPMX	No (exchange)	No	Singapore	Physical gold trading platform; price discovery

Singapore Gold Refinery Regulations — The Regulatory Framework Every Operator Must Navigate

Singapore’s gold refining regulatory framework is among the most comprehensive in Asia — reflecting the city-state’s commitment to being a financially trusted hub rather than a regulatory arbitrage destination. The key regulatory bodies and legislation governing gold refineries in Singapore are:

The Precious Stones and Precious Metals (PSPM) Act 2019

The PSPM Act (Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) 2019 is Singapore’s primary AML/CFT legislation for the precious metals sector.

It requires all gold refineries, dealers, and jewellery businesses in Singapore to: register with the Ministry of Law; conduct customer due diligence (CDD) on all transactions above SGD 20,000 (approximately USD $15,000); maintain transaction records for a minimum of five years; report suspicious transactions to the Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office (STRO); and implement risk-based AML/CFT programmes.

The PSPM Act brought Singapore’s precious metals AML standards into alignment with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations — a prerequisite for maintaining Singapore’s reputation as a trusted gold trading jurisdiction.

IRAS Approved Refiner and Consolidator Scheme (ARCS)

The ARCS scheme administered by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) is the tax framework through which Singapore’s gold refineries operate. Under ARCS, approved refiners can: import gold doré without paying the 9% GST upfront; refine and sell Investment Precious Metals (IPM) to other ARCS participants GST-free; and export refined gold internationally without incurring GST.

Non-ARCS refiners or dealers would be subject to the full 9% GST on all gold transactions — a prohibitive burden for high-volume processing. Obtaining ARCS approval requires demonstrated refining capacity, financial standing, and full PSPM Act compliance — a rigorous application process that effectively limits Singapore’s ARCS-approved refiner population to established players with international credentials.

Singapore Bullion Market Association (SBMA)

The Singapore Bullion Market Association (SBMA) is the industry self-regulatory organisation for Singapore’s precious metals sector — equivalent to the LBMA in London or the DMCC in Dubai.

The SBMA develops market standards, promotes Singapore as a precious metals trading hub, manages Singapore’s kilobar gold contract standards, and represents the Singapore industry in international forums including the LBMA and World Gold Council.

All major Singapore gold refineries — Metalor, Nadir, and Asahi — are SBMA members. The SBMA’s “Singapore Good Delivery” standard for kilobar gold (999.9 fine, 1kg, specific dimensional tolerances) is the regional alternative to the LBMA’s 400 troy ounce Good Delivery bar standard — specifically designed for Asian retail and institutional investors who prefer the 1kg format over the 12.4kg London Good Delivery bar.

African Gold and Singapore’s Refineries — The Supply Chain Connection

Singapore’s gold refineries — particularly Metalor and Nadir — process significant volumes of African-origin gold. Understanding how African doré reaches Singapore refineries, what documentation is required, and how the refined product re-enters international markets is important for anyone involved in the African-to-Asian gold supply chain

How African Doré Reaches Singapore

Gold produced at African industrial mines — from Ghana’s Ashanti Belt, Tanzania’s Lake Victoria Zone, the DRC’s Ituri province, Mali’s Kayes Region, and elsewhere — is typically exported as doré bars (partially refined gold-silver alloy) to refineries in Switzerland, South Africa, the UAE, or Singapore for final processing to LBMA 999.9 standard.

The choice of refinery destination depends on: established commercial relationships between the mining company and specific refineries; competitive refining charges (typically expressed as a per-ounce deduction from the gold contained); shipping logistics and insurance costs; and market positioning — Singapore provides access to Asian buyers at competitive Asian premiums above LBMA spot, which may be higher than European premiums for equivalent product at certain times of year.

Documentation Required for African Gold Imported to Singapore Refineries

Singapore Customs and the PSPM Act requirements mean that all gold imported to Singapore — including doré from African mines — must be accompanied by:

Export permit / mineral export licence from the country of origin: Uganda DGSM permit, Ghana Minerals Commission export licence, Tanzania Mining Commission permit, etc.
Assay certificate from an accredited origin-country laboratory: Confirming gold content (% Au), silver content (% Ag), and other major elements of the doré — required for customs valuation and refinery intake
Certificate of origin: Issued by the relevant Chamber of Commerce — identifies the country of mining and export, required for Singapore Customs Form 1
OECD Due Diligence report: For gold from CAHRA-classified origin countries (including DRC, Mali, Sudan, Central African Republic), an OECD-compliant supply chain risk assessment is required by Singapore refineries’ internal compliance processes and by the LBMA Responsible Gold Guidance
Commercial invoice and packing list: Declared value, weight, and identity of the shipment for Singapore Customs clearance
Insurance certificate: Proof of declared-value coverage for the transit — provided by the specialist carrier (Brinks, G4S, Malca-Amit)

Gold Bar Suppliers Africa Ltd manages the complete African export documentation process for international buyers and processors — including all documents required for import to Singapore refineries.

Our certified African gold bars are already refined to LBMA 999.9 standard and export-cleared, eliminating the need for Singapore-side refining for buyers who prefer to receive finished bars.

Browse our gold bars for sale for current stock and pricing. We also supply doré bars for refineries and raw gold nuggets for buyers who prefer to refine their own material.

Singapore Refinery Charges for Processing African Doré

Singapore refineries charge for processing doré bars through a refining deduction — typically expressed as a percentage of contained gold or a per-ounce figure deducted from the gold settlement amount. For standard mining doré (85–95% Au), Singapore refining charges are approximately:

Treatment charge: USD $3–8 per dry metric tonne of doré received (covers melting, assaying, and initial processing)
Refining deduction: 5–1.5% of contained gold (retained by the refinery as compensation for processing cost and yield loss)
Silver refining (if applicable): USD $0.15–0.25 per troy ounce of contained silver processed separately
Penalty elements: Additional charges for high antimony, arsenic, bismuth, or tellurium content — elements that complicate refinery processing and require additional treatment steps

These charges are consistent with international refinery practice across Switzerland, UAE, and South Africa. The total effective cost of refining African doré in Singapore — including treatment charge, refining deduction, shipping, and insurance from Africa to Singapore — is typically 1.5–3% of the gold contained value, varying with gold price, doré grade, and freight route.

Singapore vs Switzerland, UAE, and South Africa — Comparing Gold Refinery Hubs for African Gold

For African gold producers and licensed exporters deciding where to send their doré for refining, Singapore competes primarily with Switzerland, the UAE (Dubai), and South Africa’s Rand Refinery. Each jurisdiction offers different advantages:

Factor	Singapore	Switzerland (Metalor/PAMP/Valcambi)	UAE / Dubai (Emirates Gold/Kaloti)	South Africa (Rand Refinery)
GST / VAT on gold	0% (IPM scheme)	0% (investment gold VAT-exempt)	0% (investment gold)	No VAT on gold exports
LBMA accreditation	Yes (Metalor, Nadir, Asahi)	Yes (PAMP, Valcambi, Metalor, Argor)	Yes (Emirates Gold, DMCC)	Yes (Rand Refinery)
African doré focus	Moderate — growing	High — dominant	High — large African intake	High — South/East Africa focus
Market access	Asia-Pacific primarily	Global via London market	Middle East, Asia, Europe	Africa, Europe
GST on import	0% (ARCS)	0%	0%	0% export
Flight time from Accra	~13 hours	~6 hours	~6 hours	~10 hours
Refining charges	Competitive with Zurich	Lowest — established volume	Competitive; growing	Competitive for regional
Conflict minerals documentation	Full OECD required	Full OECD required	DMCC compliance required	Full documentation required

The primary advantage of Singapore over Switzerland and the UAE for African gold producers targeting Asian markets is the proximity to end-demand. Singapore-refined gold distributed into Chinese, Indian, Japanese, or Southeast Asian markets does not need to make a round trip through Zurich or Dubai.

The cost saving on freight and insurance for Asia-bound gold — combined with Singapore’s competitive refining charges — makes Singapore an increasingly attractive direct refinery destination for West and East African producers whose gold is ultimately destined for Asian jewellery or investment markets.

Buy Certified African Gold — Ready for Singapore and Global Markets

Gold Bar Suppliers Africa Ltd supplies certified African gold in multiple forms — 999.9 fine 24K investment bars already refined and export-cleared, raw gold doré bars for processing at Singapore or other refineries, gold nuggets, and raw gold dust — from licensed mining operations across Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa, and the DRC. All products come with:

Independent XRF and fire assay certification— confirming purity and weight
Full export documentation— including origin-country export permit, certificate of origin, OECD conflict-free report
Insured Brinks or specialist carrier delivery— to Singapore or any other destination worldwide
AML/KYC compliant transaction process— satisfying Singapore PSPM Act and LBMA Responsible Gold requirements

Browse our full product range: 24K gold bars from Africa · gold doré bars · gold nuggets · raw gold dust. Contact us at goldbarsuppliers.com/contact/ for a live quote with today’s LBMA-linked pricing.

Related Pages — Gold Bar Suppliers Africa Ltd