Gold is a rare and valuable metal that has fascinated humans for centuries. It was actually formed in space during powerful star collisions and later arrived on Earth. Over the years, people have mined a huge amount of gold—mostly to make jewellery and to store wealth. But how much gold is still left underground? And which countries have the most untapped gold?
How Much Gold Has Been Mined So Far?
According to the US Geological Survey, around 206,000 tons of gold have already been mined. The World Gold Council estimates it to be a bit more—about 238,391 tons. That much gold could fit into a cube that’s about 22 metres wide. About half of this gold is used in jewellery, while the rest is in gold bars, coins, and central bank reserves.
How Much Gold is Still Underground?
Even though a lot of gold has been mined, there’s still more in the ground. The US Geological Survey says about 70,550 tons of gold can still be mined profitably. The World Gold Council gives a slightly lower number of 60,370 tons of confirmed gold reserves.
They also say there might be an extra 145,626 tons of possible gold resources, though it’s not certain if all of it can be extracted. So, in total, when you combine mined gold and what’s still underground, there could be around 277,000 to 299,000 tons of gold available to us.
Which Countries Have the Most Untapped Gold?
The countries with the biggest hidden gold reserves are:
- Russia
- Australia
- South Africa
These countries have large underground gold deposits. However, China is the top gold producer, mining more gold each year than any other country.
Most of Earth’s Gold is Out of Reach
Even though tens of thousands of tons of gold are still in the Earth’s crust, that’s only a tiny part of the gold our planet holds. Scientists believe that 99% of Earth’s gold is in its core, far too deep for us to reach.
Gold is also found in small amounts in rocks and seawater—about four parts per billion—which adds up to about 441 million tons, but it’s too spread out to be mined easily.
We May Never Know the Exact Amount
When Earth was forming, heavy metals like gold sank into the core. Later, meteorites brought more gold to the surface—this is the gold we mine today. Experts say we probably won’t get more from space and that it’s impossible to measure exactly how much gold is still hidden in the Earth.
So, while we’ve already found a lot of gold, there’s still quite a bit left underground—and even more that we may never be able to reach.
