Minerals Yearbook, 1992: Gold

摘要

Domestic mine production data for gold are developed by the USBM from two separate, voluntary surveys of U.S. operations. One of these surveys is the lode-mine production survey of copper, gold, lead, silver, and zinc mines. Of the lode gold producers in operation to which a survey request was sent, 212 responded, representing 97% of the total lode-mine production of gold. Cumulative world production to date is estimated at about 112,000 metric tons (3.6 billion ounces), about two-thirds of it mined in the past 60 years. The total is equivalent in volume to a cube roughly 18 meters (58 feet) on a side. The Republic of South Africa has been the source of about 41% of that gold, but nearly all countries have reported at least some production of gold.