Gold
transition metal · Group 11 · Period 6
Atomic properties
Market data
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Raw material sources & pricing
| Raw Material Form | Grade/Quality | Price Paid by Refiners | Major Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-Grade Underground Ore | 5-30 g/t Au | $800-2,500/MT | South Africa, Canada, Australia | Deep mines, high extraction cost |
| Low-Grade Open Pit Ore | 0.5-3 g/t Au | $150-600/MT | Nevada, Peru, Indonesia | Large volume, heap leaching |
| Refractory Ore | 2-8 g/t Au | $400-1,200/MT | Nevada, China, Russia | Requires roasting/pressure oxidation |
| Placer/Alluvial Gold | 0.1-2 g/m³ | $50-300/m³ | Alaska, Brazil, Ghana | Simple gravity separation |
| Gold Concentrate | 30-200 g/t Au | $2,000-15,000/MT | Various mines globally | From flotation processing |
| E-Waste/Secondary | 200-400 g/t Au | $500-2,000/MT | Japan, Belgium, Switzerland | Circuit boards, connectors |
Gold Ore - Primary Raw Material
Current Market Price: $150-2,500/MT (varies dramatically by ore grade) Major Global Reserves: Australia: 11,000 MT (20% of world reserves) - Large open-pit operations Russia: 6,800 MT - Siberian deposits United States: 3,000 MT - Nevada, Alaska South Africa: 5,000 MT - Deep underground mines Peru: 2,800 MT - Yanacocha, Las Bambas Canada: 2,400 MT - Ontario, Quebec mines 2025 Production Leaders: China: 370 MT (11% of global production) Australia: 315 MT Russia: 305 MT United States: 170 MT Canada: 195 MT Ghana: 155 MT Raw Material Form Grade/Quality Price Paid by Refiners Major Sources Notes High-Grade Underground Ore 5-30 g/t Au $800-2,500/MT South Africa, Canada, Australia Deep mines, high extraction cost Low-Grade Open Pit Ore 0.5-3 g/t Au $150-600/MT Nevada, Peru, Indonesia Large volume
⚠️ Seawater Gold Extraction
Commercial Viability: NOT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE Concentration: 0.004-0.044 ppb (parts per billion) Chemical Form: AuCl₄⁻ (gold chloride complex) and Au(OH)₃⁰ Total Ocean Gold: ~20 million tons dissolved in all oceans Status: No commercial seawater gold extraction exists. The energy cost to extract 1 gram would exceed $50,000, while gold value is only ~$80/gram. Fritz Haber's 1920s attempts failed economically. Note: Requires processing 30 million liters of seawater to obtain 1 gram of gold.
Production cost analysis
| Cost Component | $/oz Gold | % of Total Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining (Ore Extraction) | $400-600 | 35-40% | Drilling, blasting, hauling |
| Processing (Mill/Leach) | $250-400 | 20-25% | Crushing, grinding, cyanidation |
| Energy | $150-250 | 12-15% | Electricity, diesel fuel |
| Labor | $180-300 | 15-18% | Varies by country |
| Consumables & Reagents | $100-150 | 8-10% | Cyanide, lime, grinding media |
| G&A and Other | $120-200 | 10-12% | Administration, royalties |
| Total Production Cost (AISC) | $1,200-1,900 | 100% | Compare to gold price: ~$2,400/oz |
Energy consumption breakdown
| Process Stage | Energy Consumption | % of Total Energy | Energy Type | Key Operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining (Open Pit/Underground) | 10-15 GJ/kg Au | 40-45% | Diesel, Electricity | Drilling, blasting, hauling, ventilation |
| Comminution (Crushing/Grinding) | 8-12 GJ/kg Au | 30-35% | Electricity | Size reduction to 75-150 μm |
| Processing (Leaching/CIP) | 4-6 GJ/kg Au | 15-20% | Electricity, Compressed Air | Cyanidation, carbon adsorption |
| Refining | 2-3 GJ/kg Au | 8-10% | Electricity, Natural Gas | Electrowinning, smelting to 99.99% |
Extraction Process Energy Details
Heap Leaching: 5-10 GJ/kg Au - Low-grade ores Tank Leaching/CIP: 15-25 GJ/kg Au - Higher grade ores Pressure Oxidation: 25-35 GJ/kg Au - Refractory ores Bio-oxidation: 20-30 GJ/kg Au - Sulfide ores Gravity Separation: 2-5 GJ/kg Au - Placer/free gold
Energy Intensity by Ore Grade
>10 g/t ore: 15-20 GJ/kg Au produced 5-10 g/t ore: 20-30 GJ/kg Au produced 2-5 g/t ore: 25-35 GJ/kg Au produced 1-2 g/t ore: 30-45 GJ/kg Au produced 40-80 GJ/kg Au produced
Commercial forms & specifications
| Product Form | Chemical Formula | Molecular Weight | Typical Purity | Price Range (USD) | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Bullion Bars (1 kg) | Au | 196.97 g/mol | 99.99% | $78,000-80,000/bar | Investment, central banks |
| Gold Grain/Shot | Au | 196.97 g/mol | 99.99% | $79-81/g | Jewelry manufacturing, alloying |
| Gold Wire | Au | 196.97 g/mol | 99.99% | $85-95/g | Electronics, bonding wire |
| Gold Leaf/Foil | Au | 196.97 g/mol | 99.9% | $1.50-3.00/sheet | Decoration, gilding |
| Gold Sputtering Target | Au | 196.97 g/mol | 99.999% | $90-120/g | Semiconductor, coating |
| Gold Nanoparticles (20nm) | Au | 196.97 g/mol | 99.9% | $500-5,000/g | Medical, catalysis, sensors |
| Gold Powder (1-10 μm) | Au | 196.97 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $100-200/g | Electronics paste, catalysts |
| Gold Chloride | HAuCl₄·4H₂O | 411.85 g/mol | 99.9% | $120-180/g | Electroplating, catalysis |
| Gold Potassium Cyanide | KAu(CN)₂ | 288.10 g/mol | 68.3% Au | $90-110/g Au | Electroplating |
| Gold Sulfite Complex | Na₃Au(SO₃)₂ | 490.15 g/mol | 40.2% Au | $95-115/g Au | Non-cyanide plating |
| Colloidal Gold (Medical) | Au | 196.97 g/mol | 99.9% | $1,000-10,000/g | Diagnostics, therapeutics |
Market trends
Central Bank Buying: Record purchases of 1,136 MT in 2024, trend continuing in 2025 as de-dollarization accelerates Green Gold: Major miners investing in renewable energy - Newmont targeting 50% renewable by 2030 Urban Mining: E-waste recycling growing 15% annually, recovering 350 MT gold/year globally Technology Demand: 5G rollout and AI chip production driving 35% increase in bonding wire demand ESG Pressure: Responsible Gold Mining Principles adopted by top 20 producers China Dominance: Consumes 30% of global gold, produces 11% despite limited domestic reserves Price Drivers: Inflation hedging and geopolitical tensions supporting prices above $2,400/oz Artisanal Mining: 20% of global supply from small-scale miners, increasing focus on formalization
Moles per kilogram
| Product Form | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Moles/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Metal | Au | 196.97 | 5.08 |
| Gold(III) Chloride | AuCl₃ | 303.33 | 3.30 |
| Chloroauric Acid | HAuCl₄·4H₂O | 411.85 | 2.43 |
| Gold Potassium Cyanide | KAu(CN)₂ | 288.10 | 3.47 |
| Gold Sodium Sulfite | Na₃Au(SO₃)₂ | 490.15 | 2.04 |
References
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Coverage notes
The following sections are thin or absent in the source document for this element. They will be filled by enrichment passes (NIST atomic, OSHA/NIOSH safety, USGS / IAI environmental).
- Missing section: Suppliers by Country