The most gold is found in the Earth's core, but the largest gold deposit ever discovered is the Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa, which has yielded vast quantities and still holds significant reserves. At a national level, the United States holds the largest official gold reserves (held by the central bank), while China is the world's largest gold producer annually, though it also consumes a lot.
Witwatersrand Basin (South Africa) - The Witwatersrand Basin holds the largest gold deposit ever found, with estimated gold reserves of 50,000 tons.
Russia and Australia are tied as the world's top holders of unmined gold, each with around 12,000 tonnes. Together, they account for reserves valued at $1.7 trillion each.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York houses the world's largest gold repository 80 feet beneath Manhattan's bedrock. This vault contains approximately 507,000 bars with a market value exceeding $250 billion, primarily serving as a secure custodian for foreign governments and central banks.
Yes, in most Australian states, you can generally keep gold you find, especially as a hobbyist on {!nav}Crown land, but you typically need a Miner's Right or prospecting permit, and rules vary by state, with Tasmania having stricter laws where gold may remain Crown property. The key is proper licensing, respecting land ownership, using hand tools (no explosives/heavy machinery), and distinguishing between hobby finds (often tax-free) and commercial mining.
24-Karat Gold
Its bright yellow color is not common in the U.S. or other western countries. However, it's very popular in China, India, and other Asian countries. Appearance: 24k gold is an extremely bright yellow.
The WGC estimates that there are 54,000 tonnes of “below-ground gold reserves” waiting to be mined. These below-ground reserves account for less than 30 percent of what has already been mined. “World gold supplies are difficult to quantify.
Key Takeaways
Russia and China have each added over 1,800 tonnes of gold to their reserves since 2000, more than triple the next highest country. Gold buying by central banks has surged in recent years as countries diversify away from the U.S. dollar and hedge against geopolitical risk.
The rules do vary depending on where in the states you are planning to search for gold but, largely, as long as the use is recreational and you're not using any sluices or high-powered tools, any gold findings should be yours to keep.
Introduction. In December 2024, the debate on metallic mining in El Salvador took a significant turn. President Nayib Bukele, through a series of posts on Twitter, claimed that the country has gold reserves valued at $3 trillion.
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 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.
If you're out detecting or panning as a hobby, the gold you find is considered a windfall gain. Hobby finds are not taxed, even if you sell them. The key is that you're not running it as a business.
$100,000 worth of gold looks surprisingly small, often just a small stack of coins or a single large bar, because gold is so dense; it's roughly 22 to 27 one-ounce coins or around 3 to 4 kilograms (7-9 lbs), depending on the current price (around $2,900-$3,700/oz in late 2025/early 2026), appearing as a compact, heavy pile, not a huge amount.
Gold could hit $5,000 an ounce in first half of 2026, says HSBC. Jan 8 (Reuters) - Gold prices could rise to $5,000 an ounce in the first half of 2026 on geopolitical risks and rising debt, HSBC said on Thursday.
A 1 kg gold bar is an investment-grade gold bullion bar weighing exactly 1 kilo or kilogram (1 kg), 1,000 grams or 32.1507 troy ounces. Gold bars (1 kilo) have a fineness or gold content of between 0.995% and 0.9999%. 1 kilo gold bars are normally rectangular in shape and are either produced as cast or minted bars.
For large-scale investors then, gold bars offer the cheapest option normally. For investors who prefer smaller units however, gold coins may be a better choice. part-selling which is often an effective way of getting a maximum return on investment.
While not all banks deal with gold bars, some do accept them as deposits or for sale. You'll need to check with your bank or other financial institutions to see if they offer these services. Be aware that banks that trade in gold might only accept gold bars with certain accredited markings.
Markup is common practice among gold dealers and retailers, and 2% is on the low end of industry standards. For example, the spot price of gold is about $2,850 per ounce currently (as of February 27, 2025). At the same time, a 1-ounce, 24-karat gold bar at Costco runs slightly higher at just over $2,900.
Pure gold is notated as 24K – this is the highest karat level for gold meaning it is 100% pure gold. 18K gold is 75% purity level, 14K is 58.3% purity level, and 10K is 41.7% purity level.