$60.1 Billion Produced In 38 Countries, 63 Percent Or $37.9 Billion, Stayed In The Countries Where Mined

Of the $60.1 billion in income earned by 33 members of the World Gold Council last year, 63 percent, or $37.9 billion, stayed in the countries where the mining activities were located.

It was noted by the trade association, whose members account for almost 40% of worldwide production, that the sector supported more than 3% of the national gross domestic product in five nations, about the amount of globally recognized overseas development aid levels.

According to a recent analysis titled “The Social and Economic Contribution of Gold Mining,” gold mining corporations generated more than 5% of total government revenue in eight nations.

“In Suriname the contribution is as high as 16.3 percent, Malawi is 8 percent and 6.6 percent in Burkina Faso,” said WGC Chief Financial Officer Terry Heymann.

To show off its environmental credentials, the gold mining sector is eager.

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They are tax-deductible. New roadways constructed inside the site or energy sources to power it may be more than the mine requires, but they are also options. “The excess energy is then fed back into society.” Canada’s Barrick Gold employs hydroelectric power plants at its Kibali gold mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which it shares with the northeastern region Haut-Uele. With the help of solar electricity from UK-based Nordgold, the Bassi and Bouly mines in Burkina Faso’s Centre-North area can operate. Because a site requires a healthy and educated workforce,” Heymann said, “mines typically assist pay schools, hospitals, and health clinics.”

That’s why, says the WGC study, “Host countries and communities may see responsible and sustainable gold mining activities as a “window of opportunity” for growth.” A prolonged amount of time may be possible during such a window. With an average lifespan of 30–50 years, mining projects might take up to 10 years to explore and five years to develop. However, the world’s largest producers of the precious yellow metal are mature nations that do not depend on it for growth. It’s no secret that China is currently the world’s largest miner, turning out 368.3 tons of ore last year, followed by Russia, 331.1 tons, 327.8 tons, and the US, 190.2 tons. The coronavirus epidemic had a negligible impact on gold output, which fell by 4% to 3,400.8 tons last year.

Record quarterly gold output was 960 tons in the third quarter of 2019, an increase of 4% over the same time last year and 3% higher than in 2019. During the pandemic, investors sought out gold as a haven, driving up the price to over $2,000 an ounce for the first time last August.

Despite discovering the omicron COVID-19 version, the metal has given up those gains and is now roughly 6% lower than it was a year ago at around $1,793 an ounce. Whether or whether gold will reach $3,000 per ounce in 2022 is a subject of debate among analysts. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, some expect prices to increase due to the persistence of negative, accurate interest rates, inflationary pressures, and a weakening US currency.

Many predict that the cost of gold will drop to about $1,700 an ounce next year owing to increased production and relaxation of political tensions between China and the United States as the health crisis fades. While new digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ether have recently made headlines in the financial news, Heymann highlighted that gold remained an essential store of value. According to him, “Gold has a place in investors’ portfolios.”

The pandemic has demonstrated its stability as a long-term store of value. It’s a tangible asset, so you know precisely what you’re dealing with. As for the market, it’s been there for millennia.