International buyer guide

Start with an independently verified laboratory

Contact the laboratory through a channel you have verified yourself. Confirm the legal business identity, visit location and which methods are performed on site or subcontracted. Ask for evidence supporting any accreditation claim and check that its scope covers your intended analysis.

Before booking your journey

• Describe the material, approximate quantity and intended use of the result.
• Confirm appointment availability and written fees.
• Agree whether material may be sampled or must remain intact.
• Ask who may attend weighing and sampling.
• Confirm required intake documents and how results will be delivered.

Agree what is being tested

Record the lot description and sample identifiers. Agree who will take the sample, how it will be sealed and how custody changes will be recorded. Discuss retained samples or splits if later comparison might be necessary.

Read the report carefully

Check the laboratory identity, report reference, sample ID, dates, method and units. Ask how the result relates to the material submitted and what it cannot establish. If the report needs to be accepted by a refinery, insurer or other party, agree their requirements before testing.

Prepare your enquiry

The testing planner generates a draft you can download and send to your chosen laboratory. It does not confirm an appointment, arrange custody or submit information to a business.

Useful starting points

Kenya's State Department for Mining describes its mineral laboratory services. For accreditation claims, consult the Kenya Accreditation Service and verify the current laboratory scope directly.