Where is gold extracted?

There are several places on earth where gold is mined. Small pieces of gold can end up in rivers, for example, but gold is now mainly mined from mining production in countries such as China, South Africa, North America, Indonesia, Russia and Australia. We will tell you more about where gold comes from and how it is mined.
 

Where exactly does gold come from?

Gold is a special metal that only exists in finite quantities on earth. If it is not being produced, where exactly does gold come from? It is sometimes thought that gold was created by geological processes within the earth's crust. In reality, gold comes from neutron stars. These are stars with a high density in which a nuclear reaction occurs in which gold as an element is a by-product.
 
When a neutron star reaches the end of its life, its core implodes, causing a powerful explosion. This is also called a supernova. The elements that were created in the star become the building blocks of new stars and planets. For example, gold was one of the building blocks of our planet. Through geological and chemical processes, gold is created and can be mined.
 

How gold is mined

As mentioned earlier, gold in the earth's crust can be mined in a variety of ways. These techniques have evolved from panning in rivers to modern-day open-pit mining.
 

The history of gold mining

Gold has played an important role as a means of payment and a precious commodity for 6,000 years. Gold was previously mainly mined by panning gold in rivers or in simple, underground mines. In this way, enough gold was mined to make coins and jewelry.
 
The 19th century was characterized by gold rushes. Migrants set out to make their fortune in already discovered gold fields. This happened mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
 

Contemporary gold mining

Today, gold is mainly mined from wine growing. There are three types of gold mines: open-pit, placer, and underground mines. Open-pit mining is characterized by the excavation of a large pit to reach the bedrock and ore that also contains gold. Placer mines are excavated river beds and bottoms. Gold particles are found among the sand and gravel. Gold can also be mined in underground mines that use tunnels and shafts to reach the gold deposit.
 
‘Old gold’ can also be recovered using recycling techniques. Gold that was used in old devices is extracted by burning. Jewelry is also a source of recycled gold.

Gold mining in the future

The current gold mining has a negative impact on the environment. Therefore, it is important that gold mining in the future should be more sustainable. Renewable energy sources are used more often and micro-organisms can be used to reduce and restore the damage to the environment.
 

Which countries have the largest gold reserves?

There are a number of countries with significant gold reserves. Historically, most has been mined in South Africa, but in the last decade, about half of the world's gold production has come from China, Russia, Australia, South Africa, Peru, and the US.
 
European countries build their reserves mainly by buying gold and by recycling. There is not enough gold in the European soil to extract profitably.