Last Updated: June 8, 2026
Gold is a commodity that has inspired and enthralled humans for most of recorded history. Wars have been fought and lost over the promise of gold. Today, it remains the symbol of wealth and success, which begs the question: Will this floating rock we call Earth ever run out of gold?
How did gold come to Earth?
Meteorites and asteroids have struck Earth countless times throughout our planet’s history. When the world was still young, asteroids delivered metals, like gold, and scattered them across the earth’s crust into layers of rock. Millions of years later, humans began mining these metals and minerals.
Because gold is far rarer than other metals, it became a valuable commodity for cultures worldwide.
As human society advanced, the desire for gold also grew. Expeditions across the globe were commonplace. Quickly gold and other precious metals were being mined extensively worldwide.
Gold mining today
Gold is currently recognized as one of the most valuable precious metals, though the era of unlimited gold mining is in the past. Mining and commodities experts began sounding the alarm bells in 2018 when South African gold mines began to come up short.
This is a trend that began to echo across world markets. 2019 was the first recorded year that gold output sank, failing to top the levels reported the previous year. Suddenly, it seemed, the existing gold mines were running dry. Few new mines were being found and developed.
Gold mining is a risky endeavor. It is costly to finance a mine, and there are few ways to know how valuable it will be. This problem is complicated by the fact that most of the remaining active gold mines exist in regions with high levels of social and political instability.
However, the global demand for gold remains high, and according to experts, that is unlikely to change.
How much gold is left?
Gold is not a naturally occurring element on Earth. This means that every ounce of gold came from meteorites and asteroids crashing into the earth and embedding the metal in the earth’s crust. Because of this, the amount of gold on earth is finite.
While there is no way to know exactly how much gold remains to be mined, experts agree that there are few remaining, untouched gold deposits hidden in layers of rock. The world will run out of minable gold, though exactly when is unknown.
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Established in 1892, we have more than a century of precious metals refining experience. We serve various industries, including dental offices, private individuals, jewelers, pawnbrokers, and more!
Call us today at 888-677-9254 to find out why Garfield is a premier precious metals refinery.
Also, stay tuned to Garfield Refining’s blog for more fun and helpful articles about precious metals history, such as The Top 3 Most Popular Gold Rush Ghost Towns, Does Fort Know still have Gold?, and How did Gold get its Name?
Written by
Allie BowmanAllie Bowman is the Content Lead at Garfield Refining, where she translates more than 130 years of precious metals expertise into clear, accurate, and practical content for individual sellers, dental professionals, jewelers, and collectors. A Dean's List graduate of the University of Delaware's Media Communication program, Allie has built her career around making complex subjects accessible to a broad audience. Her experience spans nutrition science, lifestyle magazine publishing, and precious metals refining, giving her a unique ability to transform technical information into engaging, trustworthy content. At Garfield, Allie brings editorial rigor and subject-matter expertise to every piece she produces. She works closely with Garfield's refining specialists and senior leadership to ensure that technical topics - from karat markings and assay methods to precious metals markets and spot price mechanics - are explained with both accuracy and clarity. Since joining Garfield's marketing team, Allie has written extensively on precious metals refining, dental scrap recovery, gold and silver bullion, estate and inherited jewelry, and industry-specific topics for dental and jewelry professionals. All content is reviewed by Garfield's leadership team prior to publication, ensuring it reflects the company's standards for accuracy, transparency, and industry expertise.
Reviewed by
Morgan KerrisseyMorgan Kerrissey is the President of Garfield Refining, one of North America's most longstanding and trusted precious metals refineries. For over two decades, Morgan has built his career at the intersection of commodities markets, metallurgy, and precious metals — earning a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable voices in the refining industry. Morgan joined Garfield in 2008, bringing rigorous operational discipline to a company built on exacting standards since 1892. Named President in 2014, he has guided Garfield through volatile gold, silver, and palladium markets, while modernizing its workforce and technologies and diversifying its metal supply chains. Under his leadership, Garfield has expanded its refining capabilities across the full lifecycle of precious metals recovery, entered new markets, and expanded services while maintaining the same customer forward approach that has made Garfield a mainstay for more than a century. From hedging strategy to daily refinery operations, Morgan commands high levels of technical depth and market fluency. Morgan grew up outside Boston, graduated from Harvard University, and has lived with his family in Philadelphia, PA for almost 20 years.