DRC Mining Code
Counsel under the DRC Mining Code (Loi n° 007/2002 as amended by Loi n° 18/001): surface rights, exploitation permit transformation, and state equity participation (10% non-dilutable).
01 — Legal Counsel & Title
Mining title architecture that survives ministries and banks.
Mineral ground in East Africa and the DRC does not fail at the outcrop. It fails in local corporate structures, missing statutory sequences, or unrecorded ministerial filings. We build title that holds.
Local Participation
Structuring mandatory local content vehicles, community development agreements (Cahier des Charges), and statutory sub-contracting authorizations.
Offtake Contracts
Drafting bankable offtake agreements: provisional vs final assay settlement terms, price fix mechanisms (LME / LBMA), and force majeure protections.
Dispute Avoidance
Structuring cross-border arbitration clauses (ICC, LCIA), title escrow frameworks, and pre-emptive title boundary dispute resolutions.
02 — Due Diligence & Auditing
What we will put our name on — and what we will not.
International banks, institutional refiners, and ministries require verifiable proof of origin. Our compliance desk executes field-level audits before cargo moves.
Counterparty Screening
Supplier Verification
Corporate registry searches, ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) tracing, PEP screening, and historical transaction audits.
KYC / AML Standard
Concession Tracking
Mineral Origin Verification
On-site mine audits, GPS coordinate logging, artisanal zone validation, and compliance with the ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism.
OECD Annex II Compliance
Metallurgical Audits
Assay / Lab Verification
Supervising independent sampling and assay analysis with internationally recognized laboratories (Alex Stewart, Alfred H. Knight, ministry labs).
XRF & Fire Assay
Chain of Custody
Documentation Review
Complete audit of production logbooks, transport manifests, provincial tax receipts, and transit waybills to eliminate documentation gaps.
Chain-of-Custody Audit03 — Export Documentation
The complete file assembled for customs, banks, and refiners.
A shipment does not clear border gates or international customs on goodwill. It clears on a fully reconciled export docket assembled in strict statutory sequence.
| Document Type | Statutory Authority | Key Parameters & Inclusions | Destination Gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Invoices | Instructing Desk / Shipper | Pro-forma and final commercial values, Incoterms (CIF/FOB), lot numbers, purity & weight breakdown. | Bank, Customs & Offtaker |
| Certified Packing Lists | Warehouse / Forwarder | Container numbers, gross/tare/net weights, seal numbers, bundle/drum counts, strapping details. | Airport, Port & Border Post |
| Certificates of Origin (COO) | Chamber of Commerce / Revenue Authority | Verification of extraction country, regional trade treaty status (EAC, COMESA, AfCFTA, EUR.1). | Destination Customs Clearance |
| Mineral Export Permits | Ministry of Mines & CEEC | Official authorization to export, royalty duty payment verification, mineral valuation assessment. | Departure Airport / Port |
| Customs Entries (SAD) | Revenue Authorities (KRA, TRA, URA, DGDA) | Single Administrative Document (SAD), export declarations, exit customs stamps, transit bond cancellation. | Border & Airport Gates |
Legal & Advisory Desk
Submit title or compliance file.
We reply in writing.
Specify the jurisdiction, concession or cargo particulars, and legal questions. We review files under strict commercial confidentiality.