A new partnership between UK-based responsible gold sourcing company SigraFi and PeaceGold Trading Company aims to bring more traceable artisanal gold from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into international markets while expanding access to finance for small-scale miners.
The agreement establishes a long-term commercial framework under which SigraFi will provide structured working capital, logistics support and refinery-delivery services in exchange for contracted supplies of fully traceable gold doré produced by mining cooperatives in Ituri Province.
The gold will be delivered through accredited international refining channels, helping miners access formal export markets that have traditionally been difficult to reach.
The deal is being viewed as a significant step toward formalising the artisanal and small-scale mining sector in the DRC, where much of the gold trade remains informal and vulnerable to smuggling. Reuters reported in April that more than half of the country’s gold is believed to leave the country through illicit channels.
PeaceGold, founded in 2013 by fairtrade gold pioneer Greg Valerio together with the local Centre Résolution Conflits, has spent more than a decade working with mining communities in eastern DRC.
The organisation focuses on legalising artisanal mining operations, reducing mercury use in gold processing, supporting the reintegration of former combatants and establishing compliant export pathways for miners.
The initiative currently works with around 11 artisanal mining cooperatives in Ituri Province, representing nearly 25,000 miners and support workers. The project aims to provide a legitimate alternative to the region’s largely illicit artisanal gold trade while promoting peace-building and community development.
Under the new arrangement, SigraFi will support the expansion of supply operations through a revolving working capital facility linked to future gold deliveries.
The financing model is expected to provide miners with more reliable market access, greater pricing transparency and stronger connections to international refining infrastructure.
SigraFi co-founder and director of strategy Zara Shirwan said the partnership demonstrates how responsible sourcing models can help unlock value in the artisanal mining sector.
She noted that many small-scale producers remain constrained by limited access to compliant export channels, refinery relationships and suitable financing structures, adding that long-term commercial partnerships can help integrate responsible operators into the global gold market.
Valerio described the initiative as a model for combining peace-building with responsible sourcing, saying mining communities in eastern DRC are often willing to meet international standards but lack opportunities to participate in formal supply chains. He said access to capital could help return greater value to communities that produce the gold.
The partnership comes as interest grows in responsibly sourced minerals. According to SigraFi, artisanal and small-scale mining now accounts for about 20% of global gold production, up from roughly 4% in the 1990s.
The sector is estimated to generate around US$100 billion annually and supports the livelihoods of more than 15 million people worldwide, although much of it remains outside formal international supply chains due to financing, compliance and infrastructure barriers.
SigraFi said the PeaceGold agreement forms part of a broader strategy to establish responsible sourcing and growth-capital partnerships with artisanal gold producers across Africa and Latin America.
