Where Does Gold Come From?

*This is a collaborative post answering the question ‘where does gold come from?’

The allure of gold is not just in its shine or its association with wealth. It’s a quest that spans continents, both in geology and history, to trace the deep origins of this earth’s most precious metals. This blog post will explore where gold can be found and how it came to be, as well as the countries with the biggest gold reserves and how gold is used today.

How did gold come to be?

It is thought that gold is formed during a process called supernova nucleosynthesis, which is the term for when a star implodes. To produce gold, a star must be at least three times the mass of the sun. It must spend millions to billions of years fusing elements in its core until the energy is no longer sustainable, leading to its collapse and the ejection of materials. The high temperatures and pressure allow elements to form, including gold.

Gold can also form through hydrothermal processes. Gold can be found in hot liquids that move through the Earth’s crust, getting left behind in cracks or gaps in the rocks.   

Where does gold come from?

From the first glimmers in streams to the colossal mines today, gold has been a driving force in the movement of peoples and the amassing of fortunes. It’s found all over the world, but the countries with the biggest gold reserves are:

1. The United States (8,133.46 tonnes)
2. Germany (3,352.65 tonnes)
3. Italy (2,451.84 tonnes)
4. France (2,436.97 tonnes)

‘Gold reserves’ refers to gold which has already been mined. No matter where it comes from, the process is a feat of engineering, with mines reaching depths that rival the height of the tallest skyscrapers. And they form just one part of the gold’s journey from the ground to being turned into bullion or bars — it has to be processed and refined to remove impurities.

Gold today

Gold has long been a symbol of wealth and prosperity, being used in jewellery and architecture to add a glimmer of luxury. However, aside from its decorative purposes it also has plenty of uses in multiple industries:

• Gold is reflective, and some buildings have gold added to their glass windows to reflect sunlight and keep rooms cool in the summer.
• It has been used in dentistry since ancient Egyptian times, since it does not react with other substances, and is used in various medical fields to help treat different conditions.
• Gold is used in electronics, since it can conduct heat and electricity. It can be found in items as diverse as cars, computers, phones, and fire detectors.

As for what’s left? There’s no way to truly know how much gold has yet to be mined. However, recent figures show that approximately 53,000 tonnes of gold is still in underground reserves, making the global amount of gold reserves around 260,000 tonnes. It’s believed that Australia has the most unmined gold.