Gold Production (1970-2018)

Mining & Minerals - Evaluations / Gold-Silver Exploration & Mining Projects

This video presents the world ranking of gold producing countries from 1970 to 2018. The unit of measure of the presented data is kilograms (metric). Gold in a pure form, it is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Gold often occurs in free elemental (native) form, as nuggets or grains, in rocks, in veins, and in alluvial deposits. A relatively rare element, gold is a precious metal that has been used for coinage, jewelry, and other arts throughout recorded history.

                                                                                              Mining Gold in Nevada

In the past, a gold standard was often implemented as a monetary policy, but gold coins ceased to be minted as a circulating currency in the 1930s, and the world gold standard was abandoned for a fiat currency system after 1971. A total of 197,576 tonnes of gold exists above ground, as of 2019. This is equal to a cube with each side measuring roughly 21.7 metres.

The world consumption of new gold produced is about 50% in jewelry, 40% in investments, and 10% in industry. Gold's high malleability, ductility, resistance to corrosion and most other chemical reactions, and conductivity of electricity have led to its continued use in corrosion resistant electrical connectors in all types of computerized devices (its chief industrial use). Gold is also used in infrared shielding, colored-glass production, gold leafing, and tooth restoration. Certain gold salts are still used as anti-inflammatories in medicine.

 Playlist: World mineral production     • World mineral production 

Source for data: The British Geological Survey (BGS) https://www.bgs.ac.uk/