How Much Gold and Silver Is Really Left in the World? The Truth Might Shock You

You’ll wonder why they don’t cost a lot more!

There isn’t much gold to go around!  There’s not enough for everyone to have very much.  Having given that some thought, we wonder that gold is still so affordable.

So we decided to put our preferred AI service, GROK 3, to the test.  

We asked, “How much gold is there (above ground) in the world?”

Here is GROK’s answer:

As of December 2024, approximately 212,582 metric tons of gold have been mined globally, according to the World Gold Council. This represents all the gold above ground, as gold is virtually indestructible and most of it remains in existence.

 To calculate the amount of gold per person, we divide the total gold by the global population, estimated at around 8 billion people.

• Total gold: 212,582 metric tons = 212,582,000 kilograms = 212,582,000,000 grams.
  
• Gold per person: 212,582,000,000 grams ÷ 8,000,000,000 people ≈ 26.57 grams per person.

This translates to roughly 0.86 troy ounces per person (since 1 troy ounce ≈ 31.1035 grams), or about the equivalent of six gold rings per person, as some sources describe.

Wow!  There is less than an ounce of gold per person!  How can it still be so affordable when it is so rare?  

We asked GROK the same questions about silver.  “How much silver is there (above ground) in the world?  How much is that per person?

Estimates of above-ground silver vary due to differing methodologies and data sources, but based on available information, approximately 1.74 million metric tons (about 55.94 billion troy ounces) of silver have been mined historically as of 2023. However, a significant portion is lost to corrosion, industrial use, or unrecovered waste. The Silver Institute and other sources suggest that identifiable above-ground stocks, including bullion, coins, jewelry, and industrial products, are much lower, potentially around 2.5 to 4 billion ounces of .999 fine silver bullion, with total above-ground silver (including non-bullion forms) possibly reaching 20–50 billion ounces when accounting for jewelry, silverware, and other fabricated products.

For per-person estimates, using a global population of 8 billion:

• If we consider 4 billion ounces of .999 fine silver bullion, that’s roughly 0.5 ounces per person.
• If total above-ground silver is closer to 50 billion ounces (including all forms), it’s about 6.25 ounces per person.

These figures are rough, as much silver is unaccounted for in private holdings or lost to landfills. Unlike gold, silver’s industrial use and lower recycling rate (around 18% annually) reduce available stocks.

So there just isn’t that much gold and silver to go around.  Less than an ounce of gold per person and perhaps just a few ounces of silver per person.  

Just imagine what happens with the price when people realize that we are in a currency reset and that fiat money is being discredited.  Imagine the stampede to acquire real gold and silver for profit and protection.  

It will be something to behold!