Primary Sources for Precious Metals & Retirement Research
A curated reference library maintained by Lear Capital to support transparent, well-sourced, and educational guidance.
Understanding precious metals and retirement regulations requires information from highly authoritative, trusted sources. To help investors make confident decisions and to ensure Lear Capital's education center remains aligned with the most accurate data, we've assembled this reference guide.
These institutions represent the gold standard for market data, regulatory guidance, economic indicators, and metals research. Investors, journalists, regulators, and financial professionals rely on them daily. They are trusted to research key facts about precious metals, retirement accounts, and broader market conditions.
This page exists to give Lear Capital customers direct access to the same trusted sources we use when building educational content, writing guides, and assisting clients. Wherever helpful, we've added brief explanations to clarify the role of each organization and why it is considered authoritative.
(For foundational education on diversifying with precious metals, feel free to explore Lear Capital's learning center here: https://www.learcapital.com/knowledgebase/).
Industry Research Associations & Councils
World Gold Council (WGC)
The World Gold Council is a leading global authority on gold, known for its extensive market research, global demand trends, and deep statistical insight into the gold ecosystem. Through its Goldhub platform, the WGC offers some of the most reliable data on supply, consumption patterns, central bank activity, and investment behavior.
Links:
- https://www.gold.org/about-gold/market-structure-and-flows
- https://www.gold.org/about-gold/gold-demand/geographical-diversity
- https://www.gold.org/goldhub/data/gold-prices
- https://www.gold.org/goldhub/research
- https://www.gold.org/about-gold
The Silver Institute
The Silver Institute is the premier organization for silver market research. It publishes the annual World Silver Survey-one of the most widely cited reports in the industry for more than three decades-and provides objective statistics on supply, industrial demand, investment demand, and pricing. Its materials are considered authoritative benchmarks for silver fundamentals.
Links:
- https://silverinstitute.org/silver-price-investment/
- https://silverinstitute.org/silver-supply-demand/
- https://silverinstitute.org/category/reports/
World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC)
WPIC provides comprehensive research and insights into platinum as an investment asset. Its quarterly reports, including the Platinum Quarterly, analyze supply and demand, industrial trends, and long-term fundamentals for platinum and the broader Platinum Group Metals (PGM) market.
Link: https://platinuminvestment.com/
Market Price & Standards Institutions
London Bullion Market Association (LBMA)
The LBMA is the independent global authority for precious metals trading. It sets the internationally recognized benchmark prices for gold and silver (the LBMA Gold Price and LBMA Silver Price) and establishes Good Delivery standards for bullion quality. This makes the LBMA the world's definitive standard-setter for how gold and silver are refined, traded, and accepted globally.
LBMA's statistical releases-including trade volumes, vault holdings, and research published in its Alchemist journal-are invaluable primary sources for anyone analyzing bullion markets.
Links:
- https://www.lbma.org.uk/prices-and-data/precious-metal-prices
- https://www.lbma.org.uk/prices-and-data/lbma-silver-price
- https://www.lbma.org.uk/prices-and-data/about-lbma-daily-auction-prices
- https://www.lbma.org.uk/about-us/about-the-lbma
London Platinum & Palladium Market (LPPM)
The LPPM is the key institution overseeing trading, refining standards, and Good Delivery lists for platinum, palladium, and rhodium. It also provides historical benchmark pricing for platinum group metals (PGMs), which analysts use to understand long-term market behavior.
Link: https://www.lppm.com/
CME Group / COMEX
COMEX is the primary U.S. exchange for gold, silver, and platinum futures. Its price quotes, settlement data, and delivery statistics are considered core market information. Analysts often evaluate COMEX futures alongside LBMA spot prices for a complete picture of metals trading.
Link: https://www.cmegroup.com
Government & Regulatory Resources
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The IRS provides the official tax rules governing retirement accounts, including the eligibility of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium for self-directed IRAs. IRS rules (notably Internal Revenue Code §408(m)) outline which metals meet fineness standards, how rollovers work, and how distributions must be handled. IRS publications-such as Publication 590-A and 590-B-are essential primary sources for IRA compliance.
Links:
- https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-iras
- https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/rollovers-of-retirement-plan-and-ira-distributions
- https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/individual-retirement-arrangements-iras
- https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plan-investments-faqs
- https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans
- https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-2025-retirement-plan-contribution-limits
- https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/investments-in-collectibles-in-individually-directed-qualified-plan-accounts
(For a simplified overview of gold IRA eligibility, Lear Capital offers a clear explainer here: https://www.learcapital.com/gold-ira/).
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
The DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) enforces ERISA, which governs employer-sponsored retirement plans. DOL guidance explains fiduciary duties, rollover protections, plan disclosures, and participant rights. These are key sources when evaluating retirement plan rules or protections.
Links:
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/aboutebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs/retirement-plans-and-erisa
- https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/retirement/retirementplans
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/erisa
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
FINRA is a leading investor-protection authority. It publishes alerts and educational materials that help investors understand the risks and fees associated with physical precious metals, futures, and self-directed IRAs. FINRA has also issued joint warnings with the CFTC about scams targeting precious metals investors.
Links:
- https://www.finra.org/finra-data
- https://www.finra.org/investors/investing/investment-products/futures-and-commodities
- https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/investing-basics
- https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance
- https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/buying-physical-gold-or-other-metals
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
The CFTC regulates all U.S. commodity futures and derivatives markets. One of its most important tools is the weekly Commitments of Traders (COT) report, which breaks down long and short positions across market participants. This report is a primary reference for market sentiment in gold and silver futures.
Links:
- https://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/index.htm
- https://www.cftc.gov/LearnAndProtect/index.htm
- https://www.cftc.gov/IndustryOversight/index.htm
- https://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/AbouttheCOTReports/index.htm
Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)
The SEC issues investor alerts, regulatory notices, and educational guidance relevant to self-directed IRAs, precious metals schemes, and fraud prevention.
Links:
Official Data & Statistical Sources
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
The USGS produces some of the most widely used data sets on global metals production and reserves. Its annual Mineral Commodity Summaries and special publications provide reliable statistics on mine output, recycling, industrial use, and long-term supply trends for gold, silver, and PGMs.
Link: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/gold-statistics-and-information
U.S. Mint
The U.S. Mint publishes monthly and annual production and sales data for bullion coins, including American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, and American Buffalo gold coins. These figures are closely watched as indicators of real-time physical investment demand.
Links:
- https://www.usmint.gov/about/production-sales-figures
- https://www.usmint.gov/about/production-sales-figures/bullion-sales
- https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/american-eagle-bullion-coins
- https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/american-buffalo-bullion-coins
- https://www.usmint.gov/learn/bullion-coins
Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)
FRED (maintained by the St. Louis Fed) hosts vast historical time series, including LBMA gold prices, interest rates, inflation data, and macroeconomic indicators. Analysts frequently rely on FRED to study correlations between gold prices, monetary policy, and economic cycles.
Link: https://fred.stlouisfed.org
Additional Macro Sources (BLS, BEA, World Bank, OECD, IMF, Trading Economics)
These institutions provide essential context for metal markets by publishing inflation statistics, GDP figures, industrial output, commodity forecasts, and global economic analyses.
Links:
- https://tradingeconomics.com/commodities
- https://www.bls.gov
- https://www.bea.gov
- https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/commodity-markets
- https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/macroeconomics
- https://www.oecd.org/economy/
- https://www.oecd.org/statistics/
- https://www.imf.org/en/Data
- https://www.imf.org/en/Publications
Retirement Industry Research Bodies
These organizations offer research on retirement planning, investor behavior, and policy trends. Their data helps contextualize long-term retirement strategies.
Links:
Inflation, Currency & Purchasing Power Data
Links: