How Much Gold Is Left in The World?

The comments below are an edited and abridged synopsis of an article by Rich Smith

In 2016, archaeologists working at a dig site in Bulgaria came across a tiny but significant find: A gold bead measuring about an eighth of an inch in diameter, which scientists believe may be the oldest piece of refined gold jewelry ever discovered, dating back as far as 4,600 B.C.

This discovery holds significance not just to scientists but to investors as well. It means that humans have been mining and refining gold for more than 6,600 years. And if that’s true, gold investors may wonder: After 7 millennia of exploitation, how much gold is left in the world to be discovered, mined and refined?

Smith discusses how much gold has already been mined; how much mineable gold remains; how mining companies are affected; will the market reach peak gold; why the amount of recoverable gold could change over time; how much gold is needed for mining to be viable; and new ways to mine gold.