From Website to Vault

HomeCongo Rare Minerals > Development > From Website to Vault
Categories Development Posted on October 24, 2025November 8, 2025

If you’ve never bought physical gold from Africa before, “buy gold bars online” can sound risky and vague.

Who are you really paying?
What happens after you order gold bars?
When do your bars actually arrive in your vault or safe?

This guide walks you through a typical Congo Rare Minerals (CRM) order from start to finish – from your first click on the website to the moment your bars are sitting in a vault under your name.

You’ll see:

  • What happens at each stage
  • Rough timelines
  • Which documents you should receive
  • Where the main risks are, and how CRM manages them

Throughout, you can always cross-check details with the official FAQ, Shop, and export guides on the CRM site. (Congo Rare Minerals)

1. Before You Buy: What “Buying Gold Bars Online” Actually Means

When you buy gold bars online from CRM, you’re not buying a “paper” product. You’re buying real 22K or 24K investment-grade gold that has to move physically from DRC/Uganda to your chosen intake city. (Congo Rare Minerals)

A complete order usually includes:

  • Product: bars, nuggets or dust (most buyers choose bars) (Congo Rare Minerals)
  • Purity: confirmed as 22K or 24K in the pro forma invoice and assay documents (Congo Rare Minerals)
  • Documents: invoice, assay, export permits, certificate of origin (if applicable), insurance and airway bill (Congo Rare Minerals)
  • Shipping: insured export under CIF or FOB to approved destinations (Congo Rare Minerals)

So when you see gold bars for sale on the CRM Shop, you’re looking at products that are backed by:

  • A licensed precious-metals exporter
  • Documented sourcing from DRC operations
  • Arranged insured logistics to hubs like Dubai, Zurich, London, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, and others (Congo Rare Minerals)

2. Step 1 – Browsing the Website & Choosing Your Bars (Day 0)

Typical timeline: same day

Your journey usually starts in one of two places:

  • Main website: https://congorareminerals.com/ – to learn who CRM is, see guides, FAQ, and news. (Congo Rare Minerals)
  • Shop page: https://congorareminerals.com/shop/ – to see actual gold bars for sale with current reference prices. (Congo Rare Minerals)

On the Shop, you’ll typically see products like:

  • 100g, 250g, 500g and 1kg bars
  • 10kg packages for larger buyers
  • Pricing that reflects live market conditions plus logistics and handling (Congo Rare Minerals)

What you do at this stage

  • Decide whether you want a single bar (for example 1kg) or a mix of sizes.
  • Roughly match your budget to bar sizes (for example, “I want to purchase gold bars worth about $25,000 – that’s probably 250g + 100g.”)
  • Note any special requirements (destination city, preferred refinery or vault, need for stamped or hallmarked bars, etc.). (Congo Rare Minerals)

You haven’t committed to anything yet. You’re just getting a feel for what you can buy.

3. Step 2 – Initial Contact & KYC (Day 0–1)

Typical timeline: within 1 business day after your inquiry, if you respond quickly

Once you know roughly what you want, you contact CRM:

  • Via the Contact form
  • By email (info@sales address)
  • Or by phone/WhatsApp during business hours (Congo Rare Minerals)

What CRM asks for

Before you can order gold bars, CRM needs to complete KYC/AML checks:

  • Company registration documents (if you’re a business)
  • ID for authorized signers
  • A simple end-use statement (what the gold will be used for) (Congo Rare Minerals)

This might feel like extra friction, but it’s essential. It:

  • Protects both sides from fraud and sanctions issues
  • Makes customs and banking smoother later
  • Shows you’re dealing with a legitimate, licensed gold bar supplier, not a Telegram scammer (Congo Rare Minerals)

4. Step 3 – Your Pro Forma Invoice & Price Lock (Day 1–2)

Typical timeline: shortly after KYC approval

Once KYC is approved, CRM prepares a pro forma invoice (PFI) or formal quote.

What’s in your PFI

The PFI is the backbone of your deal. It normally includes: (Congo Rare Minerals)

  • Product type: e.g. “Gold bars”
  • Purity: 22K or 24K
  • Size and quantity: e.g. 3 × 1kg bars
  • Premium above spot
  • Shipping, insurance and handling
  • Incoterms (often CIF or FOB)
  • Delivery window / approximate timeline
  • Payment terms and bank coordinates
  • Pack of documents you will receive

Pricing is set based on live market conditions plus logistics, insurance and handling, so this is where the “gold bars for sale” on the site turn into a firm offer for you. (Congo Rare Minerals)

Price locks

After KYC, CRM can usually lock a price for a defined validity window, clearly stated on the PFI. Within that window, if you accept and pay under the terms, your price is fixed. (Congo Rare Minerals)

This is the point where you go from “I want to buy gold bars online” to a specific plan like:

“I will purchase 2 × 1kg bars, 24K, CIF Dubai, delivery window 5–8 business days after payment confirmation.”

5. Step 4 – Payment (Day 2–3, depending on your bank)

Typical timeline: 1–3 business days for international bank transfers

Once you accept the quote and sign (if there’s a SPA/contract attached), you follow the payment instructions in the PFI.

How you pay

CRM’s FAQ is clear:

  • Standard: bank transfer to the company account named on the invoice
  • Optional: escrow or law firm trust account on eligible deals
  • Cryptocurrency only by written agreement in the PFI and where legal (Congo Rare Minerals)

Safety checks

To keep your funds safe:

  • CRM only issues bank details after KYC
  • You’re told to confirm payment instructions on a verification call using a known phone number
  • They do not change bank details via WhatsApp or similar apps (Congo Rare Minerals)

If you ever get new bank details by random message, you call your CRM manager on the number listed on the site and double-check before sending a cent.

6. Step 5 – Handling, Refining & Final Packing (Day 3–7)

Typical timeline: 1–5 business days of handling after compliance and payment (Congo Rare Minerals)

Once payment is confirmed, CRM starts preparing your shipment. The exact steps depend on whether you’re buying:

  • Dore bars for refining, or
  • Fully refined, stamped investment bars

But in every case, this phase includes:

a) Final verification and form

  • Screening and/or assay of the metal
  • Confirmation of weights and bar sizes against your PFI
  • Assigning serial numbers where relevant (for cast/stamped bars) (Congo Rare Minerals)

b) Packing and seals

  • Packing bars in suitable cases or strongboxes
  • Applying tamper-evident seals and recording weights
  • Preparing the shipment for handover to the courier

During this stage, you don’t usually need to do anything, but your account manager may update you with an estimated dispatch date or a draft document set.

7. Step 6 – Export Documents & Insurance (End of Week 1)

Typical timeline: documents finalized just before physical dispatch

For a legitimate export of precious metals, paperwork is everything. CRM’s FAQ and guides list the key documents you should receive: (Congo Rare Minerals)

Expect some combination of:

  • Commercial invoice – states product, purity, weights, and price
  • Assay card/report – confirms tested purity and weight
  • Serial list – for cast bars, to support traceability and resale
  • Export permits – prove lawful export at origin
  • Certificate of origin – often used at intake, depending on destination
  • Insurance details – insurer, value covered, terms
  • Airway bill (AWB) – tracking number and route

If your goal is to be able to show your bank, your auditor or a future buyer that your gold is clean and legal, this pack is crucial. Save digital copies in at least two places. (Congo Rare Minerals)

8. Step 7 – Insured Export & Tracking (Week 2)

Typical timeline: 2–7 business days of international transit (Congo Rare Minerals)

Once the shipment is ready:

  1. Courier pickup
    • Courier (often a specialist bullion or high-value shipper) collects the sealed shipment.
    • Weight and seal checks are done at handover. (Congo Rare Minerals)
  2. Insurance in force
    • Shipment is insured for the declared value.
    • You’re given policy or certificate details so you know exactly what is covered and who the insured parties are. (Congo Rare Minerals)
  3. Tracking
    • You receive the airway bill number and can follow the shipment online.
    • Your CRM manager also monitors progress in case there are routing issues or customs questions. (Congo Rare Minerals)

This is the phase where the process looks most like a normal international shipment, just with a lot more value and paperwork attached.

9. Step 8 – Customs, Vault Intake & Final Assay (End of Week 2 / Week 3)

Total time from PFI to vault can, in many cases, be roughly 3–10 working days depending on route, volume and testing needs. (Congo Rare Minerals)

At destination

Here’s what usually happens when the shipment reaches your country:

  1. Customs clearance
    • Your customs broker, bank depository or vault provider helps clear the shipment.
    • They may ask you for copies of the invoice, certificate of origin, export permits and insurance. (Congo Rare Minerals)
  2. Optional re-assay
    • For larger orders, buyers often request independent assay at a local refinery or lab to confirm the purity and weight.
    • CRM already provides an assay report, but an extra check can be useful for audits or future resale. (Congo Rare Minerals)
  3. Vault or safe deposit intake
    • The vault or depository registers your bars by serial number and weight.
    • You receive a statement or certificate showing that the metal has been received on your behalf.

At this point, your online intent to buy gold bars has fully converted into real, documented gold in secure storage.

10. What Makes CRM A Strong Candidate For “Best Place To Buy Gold Bars” Online?

There are many sites claiming to sell African gold. Very few combine:

  • Licensing & compliance: CRM is a licensed precious-metals exporter with documented KYC/AML processes. (Congo Rare Minerals)
  • Certified purity: Gold refined to 99.99% purity via LBMA-accredited labs, with 22K and 24K options. (Congo Rare Minerals)
  • Documented chain of custody: Export permits, certificates, assay, insurance and AWB on every shipment. (Congo Rare Minerals)
  • Insured global export: CIF/FOB routes to approved destinations worldwide. (Congo Rare Minerals)

That mix is why you see CRM cited frequently in independent guides as a reference gold bullion supplier in DRC and Uganda. (Buy Gold Bars)

11. Quick Timeline Recap: From Click To Vault

Here’s the whole process in one view:

  • Day 0
    • Browse CRM site and Shop
    • Decide what you want to purchase
    • Send initial inquiry
  • Day 0–1
    • Share KYC documents
    • CRM reviews and approves onboarding
  • Day 1–2
    • Receive pro forma invoice with full breakdown
    • Optional price lock window starts
  • Day 2–3
    • You send payment via bank transfer (or escrow/trust where agreed)
    • CRM confirms receipt
  • Day 3–7
    • Handling, verification, refining/packing
    • Export documents and insurance finalized
  • Day 5–12 (calendar days)
    • Insured export, tracking via AWB
    • Customs clearance, optional re-assay, vault intake

Actual timing depends on route, volume, compliance checks and your own speed in providing documents and payment, but this is the pattern you can expect for most retail and mid-size wholesale buyers. (Congo Rare Minerals)

12. FAQs: Ordering Gold Bars From Congo Rare Minerals

1) How do I start if I just want to test with a small order?

CRM’s minimum order is 100 grams, which lines up nicely with a single 100g bar. Many first-time buyers simply:

  1. Check live prices on the Shop
  2. Request a quote for 100–250g to test the process
  3. Scale up once they’ve seen the documentation and delivery themselves (Congo Rare Minerals)

2) How long does it take from payment to vault delivery?

The FAQ gives a good rule of thumb:

  • Handling: typically 1–5 business days after compliance and payment
  • Transit: usually 2–7 business days depending on route and carrier (Congo Rare Minerals)

So in many cases, you’re looking at roughly 3–10 working days from payment to arrival at your vault, assuming no unusual delays at customs.

3) Is buying gold bars online from CRM safe?

No online transaction is risk-free, but CRM reduces the main risks by:

  • Using documented KYC and compliance
  • Issuing detailed PFIs that list premium, shipping, insurance and timing
  • Accepting payment only to verified company accounts
  • Arranging insured, tracked export with full paperwork (Congo Rare Minerals)

Your biggest responsibility is following the payment safety instructions and never sending funds to unverified accounts or contacts.

4) Can you ship directly to a refinery or vault, not my home address?

Yes. In practice, many buyers have CRM ship directly to:

  • A nominated refinery
  • A professional vault / depository
  • A bank-linked storage facility

These entities often assist with customs and may perform re-assay on intake. You simply specify the destination during quoting, and CRM structures the shipment and documents accordingly. (Congo Rare Minerals)

5) Where do I see the latest prices before I order?

For current reference prices on 100g, 250g, 500g, 1kg and 10kg bars, go to the official Shop page:

https://congorareminerals.com/shop/ (Congo Rare Minerals)

Those listings show today’s indicative prices. Your pro forma invoice then converts those numbers into a final, all-in quote for your actual order size and route.

Final Step: Turn Your Plan Into A Concrete Order

If you’re ready to buy gold bars online instead of just reading about it:

  1. Visit the Shop and see which bar sizes and prices fit your budget.
  2. Send a short message via the Contact page with your target size (for example, “2 × 1kg bars CIF Dubai”).
  3. Share your KYC documents so CRM can issue a pro forma invoice with full terms.

From there, you’ll follow the exact timeline you’ve just read – from website to vault, with full documentation and insured delivery at each step.