Yes, theoretically, there's enough gold deep within the Earth's core to cover the entire planet's land surface in a layer about 50 centimeters (or 1.5 feet) thick, if it could all be brought to the surface. This vast amount of gold, along with other precious metals, sank to the core when the Earth was molten, but it's currently inaccessible, locked deep inside.
Like a dragon, Earth is hoarding most of its gold: research suggests more than 99 percent is in its metallic core – enough to cover all of Earth's land in gold 50 centimeters (20 inches) thick.
Fact: There's enough gold inside Earth to coat the planet Turns out, there's quite a bit of gold on—or, really, in—our planet: 99 percent of the precious metal can be found in the Earth's core, Discover Magazine reports. How much is there? Enough to coat the entire surface of the Earth in 1.5 feet of gold.
How Long Before Gold Runs Out and What Happens Then? Based on known reserves, estimates suggest that gold mining could reach the point of being economically unsustainable by 2050, though new vein discoveries will likely push that date back somewhat.
In geographic terms gold is found all over the globe except in Antarctica. Today the three biggest individual mines are Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa, Irian Jaya in Indonesia and Carlin Trend, northeast Nevada. If Nevada were a country, it would rank fourth in the world in terms of total gold production.
While no planet in our solar system is entirely made of gold, the asteroid 16 Psyche is believed to contain an astonishing amount of gold and other precious metals. Located between Mars and Jupiter, this metallic giant could be worth trillions—yes, trillions! —of dollars.
Gold “out of the ground” typically refers to the natural state in which gold is found in ore deposits, and it is typically found in nature in its pure metallic form. However, gold is rarely found in large, pure nuggets. Instead, it is usually found in combination with other minerals in ore deposits.
If you invested $1,000 in gold 10 years ago (around late 2015/early 2016), your investment would likely be worth significantly more today (late 2025), potentially in the range of $2,000 to over $3,000, reflecting substantial price appreciation, though less than the S&P 500 but outperforming during certain periods of market stress, acting as a hedge against uncertainty, with returns varying based on exact entry/exit points and premiums/spreads.
In most states, if you and your trusty metal detector find a bunch of gold doubloons in Wisconsin, Arkansas, Oregon, Connecticut, Ohio, Delaware, New York, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, or Maine, the treasure is yours to keep under the Treasure Trove Rule.
⚠️ Here's a fun fact: the human body contains a tiny amount of gold, about 0.2mg, most of it in the blood🩸 This is the equivalent of one grain of sand.
Gold is found at virtually any depth, from surface placers to deep crustal orogenic deposits, but major economic deposits often form between 1,200 to 4,500 meters deep during mountain-building events, transported by hot fluids into rock fissures, while smaller, shallower alluvial gold comes from weathered surface deposits. The deepest mines today reach several kilometers down, but gold's initial formation can occur much deeper in the Earth's crust or mantle, moving upwards through geological processes.
If you were hoping make your fortune mining the sea, consider this: Gold in the ocean is so dilute that its concentration is very small. One study found there is only about one gram of gold for every 100 million metric tons of ocean water in the Atlantic and north Pacific.
The mass of the sun is 1.989×1030kg. Abundance in the Sun of the elements gives a percentage 1×10−7% for gold *, so that leaves you with a mass of 1.989×1021kg of gold.
Key Takeaways. All of the world's above and below-ground gold together would form a sphere around 107 feet tall. At $4,166 per troy ounce, the world's above-ground gold (216.3K tonnes) is valued at $29 trillion, while the below-ground gold (133.1K tonnes) is worth $17.7 trillion.
More billionaires are bullish on bullion. Why it matters: Some of the most successful investors in the world are now signaling that the powerful rally in gold prices has more room to run.
Investing $1,000 in Coca-Cola (KO) stock 20 years ago (around early 2006) would have grown to roughly $6,000 to $8,000 by late 2025, assuming reinvested dividends, but it significantly underperformed the S&P 500 index, which would have turned $1,000 into about $20,000 over the same period, highlighting that while Coca-Cola offers stability, diversification and broader market index funds often yield better long-term returns.
TL;DR: $100,000 Buys About 38–41 Ounces of Gold
Lower premiums (e.g., large bars) = more ounces. Higher premiums (e.g., fractional coins) = fewer ounces, but more flexibility to sell in small pieces.
IF YOU HAD INVESTED $100 IN BITCOIN IN 2010, IT COULD BE WORTH $11 BILLION TODAY In 2010, Bitcoin (BTC) traded for less than one cent. A $100 investment back then could now exceed $11 billion and rank among the most remarkable returns in financial history.
Gold occurs naturally in various igneous rocks, including granite, diorite, and rhyolite. These precious metal deposits typically form within quartz veins that develop during the cooling of hydrothermal fluids deep within the Earth's crust.
If you own the mineral rights, you can explore, extract, and sell the gold on your property. First, however, it's essential to comply with local, state, and federal regulations, including obtaining the necessary permits before beginning mining operations.