1. China: For several years now, China has been leading the world in gold production. The Asian giant produced a whopping 383.2 tonnes of gold in 2020. The majority of the gold comes from a myriad of mines throughout the country, including the massive Jiama and Zijinshan mines.
2. Russia: Russia secures the second spot among the world’s top gold producers. In 2020, Russia produced 329.5 tonnes of gold. The country’s profitable gold mining industry is mostly spread in Siberia and the far east of the country. Mines like the Olimpiada and Blagodatnoye are major contributors to the country’s large gold production.
3. Australia: Australia secures a steady third spot on this list with its abundant reserves of gold. The island continent produced 325.1 tons of the precious metal in 2020. The country boasts of a number of operational gold mines including Cadia, Boddington, and Fosterville mines.
4. United States: With 200.2 tonnes of gold production in 2020, the United States ranks fourth among the top gold-producing countries. The majority of the country’s gold comes from Nevada, with mines like Carlin and Cortez among the most prolific.
5. Canada: Following closely behind the US is neighboring Canada, which produced 182.9 tons of gold last year. The Canadian mining industry is widely distributed across the country, with the Ontario province housing some of the most productive mines, including the Detour Lake Mine.
6. Peru: South America’s largest producer of gold is Peru, sixth in the worldwide rankings, with 143 tons in 2020. Peru’s rich mineral reserves and the mining-friendly government policies are reasons behind the country’s hefty gold production. Key mines include Yanacocha and the Pierina Gold Mine.
7. Ghana: Standing as Africa’s top gold producer, Ghana produced 142.4 tons of the yellow metal in 2020. The country’s rich gold deposit makes it ideal for mining, with the Ashanti Gold Belt among its most rewarding locations.
8. Mexico: Mexico is one of the top gold producers with 111.4 tons in 2020 despite the challenging circumstances of the past year. Majority of its gold mines are located in Sonora and Zacatecas states, including the prolific Peñasquito Mine.
9. Brazil: Brazil makes the ninth spot with production of 105.9 tonnes of gold in 2020. It has a well-developed mining industry, with the Tapajós Gold Province being one of the most gold-rich areas in the country.
10. South Africa: Rounding the list at number ten is South Africa, which produced 98.2 tonnes of gold in 2020. Despite struggling with numerous mining challenges, the country’s immense gold reserves keep it in the top-ten list. Witwatersrand Basin, the world’s largest gold resource area, is responsible for much of South Africa’s production.
Across these ten countries, diversity in geography, political climate, and economics all play a part. However, their commonality is the substantial reserves of gold they possess and the increasingly innovative methods they use to extract and process this precious resource.
