CA and AK Have Most Gold-Bearing Locations, But NV Is the Production King

With gold hovering near an all-time high at $2,680 per ounce, let's take a look at the US states where you're most likely to find this coveted precious metal.

Gold is present in 32 of the 50 states and there are a combined 32,722 gold locations scattered throughout the top-10 gold-bearing states, according to SD Bullion's analysis of US Geological Survey (USGS) data. California claimed the top spot with 10,373 locations, or 66.59 per 1,000 square miles. Alaska came in second with 5,264 locations and Nevada ranked third with 3,393.

These stats tell only part of the story because when it comes to gold output, Nevada is the undisputed king.

According to the USGS, domestic gold mine production in 2023 was estimated to be 170 tons with an approximate value of $10 billion. Of that tonnage, Nevada accounted for a whopping 73% of total production, followed by Alaska at about 13%.

The USGS reported that the bulk of gold production in the US was derived from 40 lode mines in 11 states, at several large placer mines in Alaska, and at numerous smaller placer mines (mostly in Alaska and in the Western States). The top 27 operations yielded about 97% of the mined gold produced in the US.

(Lode mining is also known as hard rock mining. Placer mining is the process of extracting valuable minerals from sand, gravel, or other sediments using water.)

About 6% of domestic gold is typically recovered as a byproduct of copper mining. SD Bullion noted that the 18 states with no appreciable gold assets were Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Delaware and Florida.

“The findings reveal promising areas in the United States where the likelihood of finding gold is notably higher," commented Chase Turner, CEO of SD Bullion. "These regions, known for their favorable geological conditions and historical mining success, stand out as prime locations for gold exploration. The data offers valuable insights into the distribution of gold deposits, highlighting key areas for amateur prospectors and professionals.”

Top States by Gold Locations

California 10,373
Alaska 5,264
Nevada 3,393
Oregon 3,015
Idaho 2,350

Top States by Gold Locations Per 1,000 Square Miles

California 66.59
Washington 34.17
Oregon 31.41
Nevada 30.91
Idaho 28.44

Click this link for SD Bullion's full report.

Credits: Image by Chip Clark / Smithsonian.