In a situation where the price of one troy ounce of gold on the world market is approximately 4,000 US dollars, the attention of global investors is directed toward countries with the largest precious metal reserves. It is expected that these very countries will form the main centers of the world’s gold mining industry in the future.
Analyses based on information from the US Geological Survey (USGS) present a ranking of countries by gold reserves that are economically viable to mine. Russia and Australia are leading this list.
Each country’s untapped gold reserves amount to 12,000 tons. At current market prices, these reserves are worth approximately 1.7 trillion US dollars for each country.
In Russia, the main gold mines have traditionally been located in the Siberia and Far East regions. The largest reserves are found in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Magadan and Amur oblasts, as well as Chukotka autonomous district.
In Australia, most of the untapped reserves are concentrated in the resource-rich region of Western Australia. In particular, many of the country’s major active and promising mines are located in the Yilgarn craton region.
South Africa ranks third in the world ranking, with underground gold reserves of 5,000 tons. This figure secures it leadership on the African continent.
Among the rapidly developing economies, Indonesia, Peru, and Brazil stand out. Indonesia, with 3,800 tons of gold reserves, holds the fourth place in the global ranking.
These countries are arousing significant interest among investors who are looking to diversify their portfolios and seek opportunities with lower mining costs. In addition, Peru and Brazil have similar-sized reserves, each possessing 2,400–2,500 tons of gold reserves.
World economic giants such as the US and China, despite their production volumes, are also maintaining untouched gold resources—around 3,000 tons each. In recent years, geological exploration has mainly been directed toward Africa.
Countries like Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania are becoming new focal points for the global mining industry, showing significant potential with the discovery of large new deposits.
