2013 U.S. gold production down 128,602 oz - USGS
Domestic gold mine production in 2013 was estimated to be about 227 tonnes, down 3% with an estimated value of $10.2 billion, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
mineweb.com
Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Monday , 17 Mar 2014
RENO (MINEWEB) -
Preliminary 2013 annual U.S. gold production was 231,000 kilograms (7,426,822 troy ounces), down 4,000 kg (128,602 troy ounces) from 235,000 kg (7,555,425 troy ounces) from full-year 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey recently reported.
Gold was produced at about 50 lode mines, a few larger placer mines (all in Alaska) and numerous smaller placer mines in Alaska and in the western states. The USGS estimated that 1,140 persons were directly employed in U.S. gold mining, down from 1,673 persons in 2012.
Commercial-grade fine gold came from about 24 producers, the USGS estimated.
Estimated domestic uses were electrical and electronics, 38%; jewelry, 36%; official coins, 19%; dental, 55; other, 2%, said the agency.
The state of Nevada, which led U.S. gold output, reported 172,000 kg (5,529,928 oz) of gold production last year, down from 175,000 kg (5,626,380 oz) in 2012.
Alaska reported 30,600 kg (983,812 oz) of production in 2013, up from 27,700 kg (890,575 oz) in 2012. Other states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah and Washington reported a combined production of 28,000 kg (900,220 oz) last year, down from 31,400 kg (1,009,533 oz) in 2012.
For November 2013, total U.S. gold production was 19,000 kg (639,799 oz), while total gold output was 21,400 kg (688,025 oz) in December 2013, the USGS reported.
The USGS noted that average daily gold production for U.S. mines was 641 kg (20,608 oz) for all of last year. Average daily gold production was 662 kg (21,283 oz) in November 2013 and 689 kg (22,151 oz) in December 2013.
In 2013, worldwide gold production increased by 3% from 2,690 metric tons to 2,770 metric tons due to increases in production from Brazil, Canada, China, the Dominican Republic, and Russia, “which more than offset production decreases in Peru, Tanzania, South Africa, and the United States,” said the agency. “Gold production in China continued to increase, and the country remain the leading gold producing-nation, followed by Australia, the United States, Russia, Peru, and South Africa.”
“Domestic and global jewelry consumption increased because of the low price of gold and improved economic environment,” said the USGS. “Gold employed in other industrial uses was relatively unchanged.”
The agency estimated a combined 54,000 metric tons of gold reserves exist globally.
“An assessment of U.S. gold resources indicated 33,000 tons of gold in identified (15,000 tons) and undiscovered (18,000 tons) resources,” said the USGS. “Nearly one-quarter of the gold in undiscovered resources was estimated to be contained in porphyry copper deposits. The gold resources in the United States, however, are only a small portion of global gold resources.” |
