Frequently asked questions — Mineral Due Diligence | Bychem
Does Bychem buy or sell minerals?
No. Bychem Industries provides independent due diligence, buyer protection and operational support services only. We do not trade, purchase, resell, broker or take title to minerals.
Does submitting an application mean my assignment is accepted?
No. Every application is screened first, including client identity and compliance checks. We will tell you whether we can accept the assignment before any fee is requested.
What does the preliminary engagement fee cover?
It covers only the preliminary services defined in your Operations Agreement: onboarding, initial transaction review, preliminary supplier checks, an initial risk assessment, preparation of a working plan and defined preliminary reporting. Travel, field inspections, laboratory testing, security, export processing and other third-party costs are not included.
Will you confirm that a supplier is legitimate?
We report what we were able to verify, what we could only partly verify, what remains unverified and any inconsistencies we found. A risk classification reflects only the checks completed and never guarantees that a transaction is safe.
Can you test the mineral?
We coordinate sampling and testing with laboratories. Results are described as independent only where the laboratory and its independence have been established, and testing costs are approved by you in advance.
How are additional costs approved?
Costs are set out in the working plan you approve. Anything outside that budget, or above the approval threshold, is shown in your portal for approval before it is incurred.
Which countries do you cover?
Our priority markets are Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. Other countries are considered case by case. Availability depends on legal, security and access conditions at the time of the assignment.
How is my information protected?
Documents are kept in private, access-controlled storage and are only available to you and the staff assigned to your case. Download links expire after a short time and every download is logged.