Gold
Beyond bullion, gold plates connectors and bonds chips. Listed as a strategic mineral by China.
Gold wire bonding and connector plating in electronics.
Where it's produced
Share of 2025 world mine production (metric tons). Source: USGS MCS 2026.
Where the reserves are
Share of known economic reserves (metric tons). World total: 66k t. ≈ 20 years at 2025 output.
Who calls it critical
Membership on each government list. “Strategic” marks a higher tier where the list has one; “group” means included as part of a group such as rare earths or PGMs.
Gold: key questions
- Where is gold mined or produced?
- According to USGS 2025 data, the largest producers are China (12%), Russia (9.4%) and Australia (8.5%) of world mine production.
- Is gold a critical mineral?
- Gold appears on 1 of the 10 official lists we track (China).
- Is gold in short supply?
- Our supply status: Adequate. null
- Why does gold matter for AI infrastructure?
- Gold wire bonding and connector plating in electronics.
Related minerals
ExplorerAluminum
WatchLight, conductive and recyclable — used in transmission lines, server chassis, heat sinks and building structures. Made from bauxite (Guinea, Australia).
Copper
DeficitThe metal of electrification. Copper wires the grid, the substation, the busbar and the chip — and it is the single largest mineral input to AI infrastructure.
Silver
WatchThe most electrically conductive element — used in solar cells, electrical contacts, brazing and electronics.