Where is gold found on Earth?

Gold, a precious and sought-after element, is dispersed widely throughout our planet, but not evenly. It’s concentrated in particular regions due to geological processes. One of the primary sources of gold is underground gold veins, which result from gold being deposited out of hydrothermal fluids. Countries such as South Africa, Australia, China, and the United States have large gold mines that extract gold from these veins. The Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa, for instance, is believed to contain almost half of the world’s gold reserves.

Apart from underground sources, alluvial deposits are a significant contributor to the world’s gold supply. These deposits are found in riverbeds and nearby land areas where gold has been eroded and transported by rivers from its primary sources. Panning for gold in rivers, a popular method during gold rushes, targets these alluvial deposits.

In addition to these more concentrated sources, gold can be found in trace amounts in the oceans, within certain mineral compounds, and even within some living organisms. Yet, extracting gold from these sources is often not commercially viable due to the low concentrations and the technical challenges involved.