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Gold has been all the rage lately, with its prices touching lifetime highs every few days. Let’s look at 10 interesting facts about gold.
One ounce of pure gold can be stretched over 80 km (50 miles), resulting in a 5-micron-thick wire. The world’s existing gold could wrap the world over 11.2 million times.
Source: World Gold Council
The world’s oceans hold nearly 15,000 tonnes of dissolved gold—even at just 10 parts per quadrillion, which is like having a single grain of sand in an Olympic-sized pool.
Source: World Gold Council
Jewellery is not made up of pure 24 or 22 karat gold. Pure gold is too soft to wear, so other metals are mixed to improve durability and strength.
As much as 49% of total mined gold globally is made into jewellery, becoming the single biggest use of the metal, especially in countries like India and China.
Source: World Gold Council
Pyrite, a shiny yellow mineral consisting of iron disulphide that looks like gold, is often mistaken for gold as it is commonly found near real gold deposits.
Approximately 244,000 MT of gold has been discovered already, and most of it came from just three countries, including China, Australia, and South Africa.
Source: United States Geological Survey
The United States holds over 8,133 metric tonnes of gold valued at over $6 billion, making it the largest gold reserve globally. The majority of the reserves are held in Fort Knox.
Source: World Gold Council
Nevada Gold Mines in the US is the largest gold mine in the world, with a production of 3,311,000 oz, accounting for 2.9% of the total gold production globally.
Source: agincourtresources.com
China is the largest gold producer globally. In 2024, China’s mines produced nearly 380 metric tonnes of gold. The country has a consistent annual output of over 300 MT.
Source: Statista
Switzerland is the largest exporter of gold in the world by market value. In 2023, it exported gold worth over $107 billion, accounting for over 22% of total gold exports.
Source: Statista
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