74 

GOLD 

(Data in metric tons1

 of gold content unless otherwise noted) 

Domestic Production and Use: Gold was produced at about 50 major lode mines, a dozen or more large placer 

mines (nearly all in Alaska), and numerous smaller placer mines (mostly in Alaska and in the Western States). In 

addition, a small amount of domestic gold was recovered as a byproduct of processing base metals, chiefly copper. 

Thirty mines yielded more than 99% of the gold produced in the United States. In 2005, the value of mine production 

was about $3.4 billion. Commercial-grade refined gold came from about 2 dozen producers. A few dozen 

companies, out of several thousand companies and artisans, dominated the fabrication of gold into commercial 

products. U.S. jewelry manufacturing was heavily concentrated in New York, NY, and Providence, RI; areas with 

lesser concentrations include California, Florida, and Texas. Estimated uses were jewelry and arts, 85%; electrical 

and electronics, 6%; dental and other, 9%. 

Salient Statistics—United States: 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005e

Production: 

 Mine 335 298 277 258 250 

 Refinery: 

 Primary 191 196 194 222 230 

 Secondary (new and old scrap) 83 78 89 92 100 

Imports2 194 217 249 283 315 

Exports2 489 257 352 257 290 

Consumption, reported 179 163 183 185 195 

Stocks, yearend, Treasury3 8,140 8,140 8,140 8,140 8,140 

Price, dollars per ounce4 272 311 365 411 440 

Employment, mine and mill, number5 9,500 7,600 7,300 7,550 7,600 

Net import reliance6

 as a percentage of 

 apparent consumption E E E 8 8 

Recycling: 100 tons of new and old scrap, equal to about 50% of reported consumption, was recycled in 2005. 

Import Sources (2001-04):

2

 Canada, 50%; Peru, 16%; Colombia, 13%; Brazil, 8%; and other, 13%. 

Tariff: Most imports of unwrought gold, including bullion and doré, enter the United States duty free. 

Depletion Allowance: 15% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign). 

Government Stockpile: The U.S. Department of the Treasury maintains stocks of gold (see salient statistics above), 

and the U.S. Department of Defense administers a Governmentwide secondary precious-metals recovery program. 

Events, Trends, and Issues: Domestic gold mine production in 2005 was estimated to be about 3% less than the 

level of 2004, but high enough to make the United States the third largest gold-producing nation, after Australia and 

South Africa. Domestic mine output continued to be dominated by Nevada, where production accounted for more 

than 83% of the U.S. total. For the second time since 1987, the United States was a net importer of gold in 2005. 

The continued rise in costs at South African gold mines, owing to the strengthening of the rand, caused several mines 

to curtail expansion operations and reduce gold production. Gold mining in Indonesia recovered from the mine 

closures caused by landslides in late 2003. 

Gold Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) have gained popularity with investors. Traditional gold investments have 

perceived difficulties in access, insurance, high markups, and storage. The investor can purchase gold ETF shares 

through a stockbroker without worrying about these problems. Each share represents one-tenth of an ounce of 

allocated gold. 

Prepared by Micheal W. George [(703) 648-4962, mgeorge@usgs.gov, fax: (703) 648-7757] 
 75 

GOLD

During the first 9 months of 2005, the Engelhard Corporation’s daily price of gold ranged from a low of about $412 per 

troy ounce in February to a high of about $475 per troy ounce at the end of September. For most of the year, 

however, this price averaged about $430. The Central Bank Gold Agreement II, which started on September 27, 

2004, has not released the exact sales limits. 

World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base: Reserves and reserve base data for the “Other countries” 

category excluded some countries for which reliable data were not available. 

 Mine production Reserves7 Reserve base7

 2004 2005e

United States 258 250 2,700 3,700 

Australia 259 254 5,000 6,000 

Canada 129 115 1,300 3,500 

China 215 225 1,200 4,100 

Indonesia 93 140 1,800 2,800 

Peru 173 175 3,500 4,100 

Russia 169 165 3,000 3,500 

South Africa 341 300 6,000 36,000 

Other countries 794 830 17,000 26,000

 World total (rounded) 2,430 2,450 42,000 90,000 

Of the estimated 152,000 tons of all gold ever mined, about 15% is thought to have been lost, used in dissipative 

industrial uses, or otherwise was unrecoverable or unaccounted for. Of the remaining 129,000 tons, central banks 

hold an estimated 33,000 tons as official stocks, and about 96,000 tons is privately held as bullion, coin, and jewelry. 

World Resources: An assessment of U.S. gold resources indicated 33,000 tons of gold in identified (15,000 tons) 

and undiscovered resources (18,000 tons).8

 Nearly one-quarter of the gold in undiscovered resources was estimated 

to be contained in porphyry copper deposits. The gold resources in the United States, however, are only a small 

portion of global gold resources. 

Substitutes: Base metals clad with gold alloys are widely used in electrical/electronic products and jewelry to 

economize on gold; many of these products are continually redesigned to maintain high-utility standards with lower 

gold content. Generally, palladium, platinum, and silver may substitute for gold. 

e

Estimated. E Net exporter. 

1

Metric ton (1,000 kilograms) = 32,150.7 troy ounces. 

2

Refined bullion, doré, ores, concentrates, and precipitates. 

 Excludes: 

 a. Waste and scrap. 

 b. Official monetary gold. 

 c. Gold in fabricated items. 

 d. Gold in coins. In 1991, the last year for which estimates are available, net imports amounted to 3.5 tons. 

e. Net bullion flow (in tons) to market from foreign stocks at the New York Federal Reserve Bank: 259.5 (2001), 39.6 (2002), 29.9 (2003), 3.0 

(2004), and 0.0 (2005, estimate). 3

Includes gold in Exchange Stabilization Fund. Stocks were valued at the official price of $42.22 per troy ounce. 4

Engelhard Corporation’s average gold price quotation for the year. 5

Data from Mine Safety and Health Administration. 

6

Defined as imports – exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. 7

See Appendix C for definitions. 8

U.S. Geological Survey National Mineral Resource Assessment Team, 2000, 1998 assessment of undiscovered deposits of gold, silver, copper, 

lead, and zinc in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1178, 21 p. 

U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2006