Dore vs Refined Gold Bars vs 999.9: Which to Buy

Current CRM purchase procedure

Updated October 4, 2026. Individuals and companies may submit personal or company details, contact information, quantity, preferred purity, and a nominated refinery or delivery address. After acceptance of the purchase procedure, CRM sends an FCO for review and signature. The FCO and SPA confirm the order terms.

Orders of 5 kg and above require a 10% deposit of the agreed purchase value before shipment. The deposit is part of the purchase price and is credited against the final balance. After receipt, CRM arranges export documentation and transportation to the nominated refinery or agreed address.

For refinery deliveries, the final balance is due within 24 hours of assay confirmation, based on the agreed price and confirmed weight and purity, less the deposit. Client-address testing, acceptance and payment timing are stated in the FCO and SPA. Ownership transfers after final payment is received.

Testing purchases from 100 g to 4 kg are available in 23K or 24K. Prices, payment and delivery terms are confirmed separately before ordering. The bulk deposit schedule does not automatically apply to testing purchases.

Accepted payment methods are SWIFT bank wire, USDT on TRC20 or ERC20, and Bitcoin (BTC), using instructions on the invoice or signed agreement. CRM does not accept escrow, documentary letters of credit or similar banking instruments.

Relevant shipment documents include the assay report, Certificate of Origin, export permit and shipping details. Shipment terms and cost responsibilities are confirmed in the signed FCO and executed SPA; the SPA governs any differences. Read the purchase process or view the current FAQ.

“Gold bar” is not a single product. The same word covers everything from a rough, semi-pure bar straight off the mine to a certified 99.99% investment bar. Choosing between dore vs refined gold bars vs 999.9 investment bars comes down to one question: do you want to refine the gold yourself, or do you want a finished, verifiable product ready to hold or resell? This guide explains the difference so you buy the right form for your purpose.

It is written from the perspective of a licensed exporter that supplies gold from the DRC and Uganda. For the wider buying process, start with our pillar guide on how to buy gold in Africa safely, and for sizing, see gold bars for sale in Africa.

The quick answer

If you operate or supply a refinery, dore (and even raw gold) can make sense, because you will refine it yourself. If you want a finished product to hold, store or resell with minimal friction, refined bars – including investment-grade 999.9 – are the better fit. Most private investors and traders should focus on refined bars; refineries and industrial buyers are the natural market for dore.

What is a dore bar?

A dore bar is a semi-pure bar produced close to the mine, typically by melting down recovered gold. Its purity is variable and usually well below investment grade, because it still contains other metals and impurities. Dore is essentially an intermediate product: it is meant to be sent on to a refinery, where its true gold content is established by assay and it is refined to a higher, certified purity. Buyers of dore are therefore those equipped to refine – not investors looking for a finished holding.

What are refined bars?

Refined bars have been processed to a consistent, certified purity. CRM offers testing purchases in 23K or 24K and bulk orders of 5 kg and above. Confirm the product, batch-specific purity, assay, documentation and delivery terms in the FCO and SPA. Testing purchases from 100 g to 4 kg are available in 23K or 24K. Prices, payment and delivery terms are confirmed separately before ordering. The bulk deposit schedule does not automatically apply to testing purchases. Refined bars come with an assay confirming their fineness and are a finished product you can hold, store or resell. They suit buyers who want verifiable gold without operating a refinery themselves.

What are 999.9 investment bars?

A 999.9 investment bar is refined to 99.99% purity – 24K – the highest standard commonly traded. These are the bars most associated with investment and reserve holding, valued for their consistency and easy verification. They carry an assay report and, for cast bars, a serial-numbered bar list. If your goal is a pure, universally recognised store of value, 999.9 is the benchmark – though, as below, it is not the only sensible choice.

Side-by-side comparison

Type	Typical purity	Further refining needed?	Best suited to
Dore bar	Variable, below investment grade	Yes – it is an intermediate product	Refineries, buyers who refine themselves
Refined bar (22K / 23K)	Certified 22K or 23K	No – finished product	Traders, jewellers, many investors
999.9 investment bar (24K)	99.99% (24K)	No – highest standard	Investors, reserve holding, easy resale

Which should you buy?

• You refine gold or supply a refinery: dore (or raw gold) lets you control the refining yourself.
• You are a trader or jeweller: certified refined bars in 22K or 23K are widely traded and practical for your use.
• You are an investor or holding reserves: 999.9 (24K) offers the purest, most universally recognised form.
• You are unsure: a finished, certified refined bar is the safer default – you get verifiable gold without the cost and complexity of refining.

Whatever the form, what protects you is the same: an assay report confirming purity, and – for cast bars – a serial-numbered bar list that matches. Learn how to read it in our guide on how to verify 999.9 gold from an assay report.

Documentation and verification apply to every grade

Dore, refined and 999.9 bars all require the same discipline: confirm purity by assay before settlement, check the three-way match between bar, bar list and assay report, and ensure the gold is documented for legal export (certificate of origin, export permit, insurance, Air Waybill). The grade you choose changes the product; it does not change the need for verification. For the export side, see our guide to the gold export procedure from the DRC.

How Congo Rare Minerals supplies each grade

Congo Rare Minerals (Reg. No. CRM offers testing purchases in 23K or 24K and bulk orders of 5 kg and above. Confirm the product, batch-specific purity, assay, documentation and delivery terms in the FCO and SPA. Testing purchases from 100 g to 4 kg are available in 23K or 24K. Prices, payment and delivery terms are confirmed separately before ordering. The bulk deposit schedule does not automatically apply to testing purchases. Orders of 5 kg and above require a 10% deposit of the agreed purchase value before shipment. The deposit is part of the purchase price and is credited against the final balance. After receipt, CRM arranges export documentation and transportation to the nominated refinery or agreed address. For refinery deliveries, the final balance is due within 24 hours of assay confirmation, based on the agreed price and confirmed weight and purity, less the deposit. Client-address testing, acceptance and payment timing are stated in the FCO and SPA. Ownership transfers after final payment is received. You can review our operations on the About page.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between dore and refined gold bars?

A dore bar is a semi-pure intermediate product meant to be refined further, with variable purity below investment grade. A refined bar has been processed to a certified, consistent purity (commonly 22K, 23K or 24K) and is a finished product.

Are 999.9 bars always the best choice?

Not necessarily. 999.9 (24K) is the purest and easiest to resell, but traders and jewellers often prefer certified 22K or 23K, and refineries may prefer dore. The best choice depends on your purpose.

Should investors buy dore bars?

Generally no. Dore is an intermediate product for refineries; most investors are better served by certified refined or 999.9 investment bars they can verify and resell.

What purity does Congo Rare Minerals supply?

CRM offers testing purchases in 23K or 24K and bulk orders of 5 kg and above. Confirm the product, batch-specific purity, assay, documentation and delivery terms in the FCO and SPA. Testing purchases from 100 g to 4 kg are available in 23K or 24K. Prices, payment and delivery terms are confirmed separately before ordering. The bulk deposit schedule does not automatically apply to testing purchases.

How do I confirm a bar’s purity?

Request an assay report, check the three-way match between bar serial, bar list and report, and arrange independent or refinery testing before settlement.

Do refined and 999.9 bars come with documentation?

Yes – an assay report and, for cast bars, a serial-numbered bar list, plus the export documentation (certificate of origin, export permit, insurance, Air Waybill) for cross-border shipments.