Earth is essentially filled to the brim with gold reserves, however, this seemingly unlimited resource may also be dwindling rapidly as more than 26,000 tons of golds has been extracted by humans.
Published: November 12, 2025 8:21 PM IST
World gold reserves: Global gold prices have skyrocketed over the past few months, triggering a surge in the demand for the precious yellow metal which has fascinated humans throughout history. Since the dawn of civilization, humans have mined gold as the metal is associated with wealth and prosperity, apart from its varied uses in modern-day electronics and technology.
But have you ever wondered how much gold has been mined in history and how much reserves are left in the bowels of our planet?
How much gold has been mined by humans?
As per a recent report by the US Geological Survey (USGS), Earth is essentially filled to the brim with gold reserves, however, this seemingly unlimited resource may also be dwindling rapidly as more than 26,000 tons of golds has been extracted from rocks and rivers by humans in recorded history.
The total amount of gold mined by humans is larger than the combined gold reserves of top 10 countries with the most reserves, the report noted. Most of the extracted gold was used in making jewelry and other decorative items as there was no technological use for the yellow metal until very recently, the USGS report added.
What amount of gold is left on Earth?
According to the USGS report, the planet’s gold reserves have rapidly dwindled since industrialization, but there is still around 70,550 tons of gold left in economically viable reserves around the world. As per USGS, South Africa, Russia and Australia have the largest untapped gold reserves on the planet.
Meanwhile, in its report, the World Gold Council notes that about 45% of world’s the gold exists in the form of jewelry, 22% in the form of bars and coins, while a meagre 17% is deposited in central banks.
Which country has largest gold reserves?
As per official figures, China is the world’s largest producer of gold, but lags behind several nations in gold reserves, a list which is headed by the US, with 8,133.46 tonnes in reserves in 2024. Germany has second largest gold reserves at 3,351.53 tonnes, followed by Italy (2451.84 tonnes), France (2436.97 tonnes), Russia (2335.85 tonnes).
China ranks sixth on the list of countries with the largest gold reserves, with 2264.32 tonnes of gold lying in reserve. Experts believe China aims to increase its gold reserves to 5,000 tonnes in the near future.
Also Read:
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: india.com
