Certification of Responsible Mineral Sourcing at the Smelter (Gold)

Gold, a product of the SMM Group, is known as a “conflict mineral,”* and we must not be complicit in human rights violations and other abuses in the production process.
To ensure that our gold smelters do not use conflict minerals, we began operating under guidance published by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) in fiscal year 2012, and our gold smelters are regularly audited by a third-party organization.
We will continue to fulfill our responsibilities as a smelter and refiner in accordance with “SMM Group Policy on Responsible Mineral Sourcing.”

Conflict minerals: Minerals that may aggravate conflicts or human rights violations. In conflict zones, mineral resources can be a source of funding for armed groups. The U.S. Dodd-Frank Act designates tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold which originate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and nine surrounding countries as such conflict minerals.