About us
BACHELET GROUP was founded in 1925, rooted in the rich industrial heritage of Vieille Montagne and later Union Minière, both pioneers in the global non-ferrous metals industry.
Vieille Montagne, established in the early 19th century, was one of the world’s first large-scale zinc producers. Known for its technical innovations and high-purity zinc products, it played a foundational role in industrial metallurgy across Europe. Its operations spanned Belgium, France, Germany, and beyond, and it developed a reputation for rigorous metallurgical practices and analytical precision. BACHELET was originally created to support internal production control, ensuring that ores, concentrates, and refined products met the most demanding international standards.
In the post-war period, Vieille Montagne merged into Union Minière, a major Belgian industrial group focused on the production and trading of non-ferrous metals including copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, and precious metals. As part of Union Minière, BACHELET LABORATORIES became a critical part of a much larger ecosystem—providing assay control, technical arbitration, sampling supervision, and laboratory analysis across a global supply chain.
During this era, the laboratory built up decades of methodological discipline and technical know-how, particularly in the arbitration of traded materials, complex polymetallic analyses, and international umpire work. It developed a reputation for neutrality and reliability, handling sensitive transactions between producers and traders, and was frequently appointed as a reference lab in multi-party contractual assays.
Drawing on this deep legacy, BACHELET evolved from an internal laboratory into an independent commercial service provider, offering analytical and inspection services to a global clientele of mining companies, smelters, traders, and industrial refiners.
Over the past decade, BACHELET has significantly expanded its global presence, building strong partnerships with clients across the Americas, Africa, and Asia. In 2017, the laboratory obtained ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, reinforcing its commitment to analytical precision and quality management. This was followed by LME (London Metal Exchange) certification in 2022, further strengthening its credibility in international metal trading.
Supervision and sampling of concentrates and intermediate products
Independent assay and umpire services
Laboratory analysis of complex polymetallic materials
Technical audits and arbitration in international trade.
BACHELET GROUP is recognized internationally for its expertise in:
- Supervision and sampling of concentrates and intermediate products
- Independent assay and umpire services
- Laboratory analysis of complex polymetallic materials
- Technical audits and arbitration in international trade
With a 100-year legacy built on integrity, technical excellence, and independence, BACHELET GROUP continues to uphold the analytical traditions inherited from its founding institutions, while meeting the evolving demands of the global mining and metals industry.
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