Australia, Russia & South Africa hold most of the world’s precious metals: Where does India stand? – BusinessToday
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Australia, Russia & South Africa hold most of the world’s precious metals: Where does India stand?
Australia, Russia & South Africa hold most of the world’s precious metals: Where does India stand?
Beneath the surface of a handful of countries lies an extraordinary concentration of gold, silver and platinum — metals that underpin financial markets, power the clean energy transition and are increasingly viewed as assets of geopolitical importance.
The race for strategic reeneath the surface of a handful of countries lies an extraordinary concentration of gold, silver and platinum — metals that underpin financial markets, power the clean energy transition and are increasingly viewed as assets of geopolitical importance
As nations compete to secure supply chains and strengthen economic resilience, the location of these underground reserves has become as significant as the technologies they support.
A new analysis by Visual Capitalist, using data from the US Geological Survey’s (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, maps where the world’s largest reserves of gold, silver and platinum group metals are located.
The findings reveal a striking concentration of wealth: Australia and Russia dominate gold reserves, Peru leads in silver, while South Africa enjoys an overwhelming advantage in platinum group metals. Together, these countries occupy a critical position in the global mining landscape and could play an outsized role in shaping future commodity markets and industrial supply chains.
While these figures represent known economically recoverable reserves rather than annual production, they offer a glimpse into which countries possess the greatest long-term potential to influence global supplies of some of the world’s most valuable metals.
Australia & Russia hold the lion’s share of global gold
Gold has retained its status as one of the world’s most valuable commodities for centuries. Beyond jewellery and investment demand, it remains a cornerstone of central bank reserves, providing countries with a hedge against inflation, currency volatility and geopolitical uncertainty.
According to the USGS data, Australia possesses the world’s largest known gold reserves, estimated at 13,000 metric tonnes, representing around 20% of global reserves.
Russia follows closely with 12,000 metric tonnes, accounting for approximately 18% of worldwide reserves.
Combined, the two countries hold nearly 40% of all known global gold reserves, giving them considerable strategic importance in the precious metals market.
South Africa, once the undisputed leader in gold mining, ranks third with 5,000 metric tonnes, followed by Indonesia (3,600 metric tonnes) and Canada (3,200 metric tonnes).
The concentration of gold reserves in these countries is significant because gold continues to play an essential role in the international financial system.
Central banks have accelerated gold purchases in recent years as governments seek to diversify reserve assets and reduce dependence on foreign currencies. Large underground reserves also provide countries with long-term mining opportunities that can support exports, employment and government revenues for decades.
Peru has world’s silver powerhouse
Unlike gold, silver reserves are distributed more evenly across multiple regions, reducing the level of concentration in the global market.
Peru leads the world with 110,000 metric tonnes of known silver reserves, accounting for around 18% of the global total.
It is followed closely by Russia (92,000 metric tonnes) and Australia (91,000 metric tonnes), each holding roughly 15% of worldwide reserves. China and Poland complete the top five.
Silver has evolved far beyond its traditional role as a precious metal used in jewellery and coins. Today, it is a critical industrial metal thanks to its unmatched electrical and thermal conductivity.
The metal is widely used in solar photovoltaic panels, semiconductors, batteries, electric vehicles, consumer electronics and telecommunications infrastructure. As countries invest heavily in renewable energy and electrification, demand for silver is expected to remain robust, making reserve-rich nations increasingly important suppliers.
South Africa’s grip on platinum is unmatched
If gold is concentrated and silver is diversified, platinum group metals tell an entirely different story.
The USGS data shows that South Africa controls approximately 63 million kilograms of platinum group metal reserves, representing a staggering 83% of the world’s known reserves.
Russia accounts for another 15%, while Zimbabwe contributes around 2%. The United States and Canada hold only marginal shares.
This overwhelming concentration gives South Africa a uniquely strategic position in industries that depend on platinum group metals.
The category includes platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, osmium and ruthenium — metals that are indispensable for catalytic converters, petroleum refining, electronics manufacturing, medical equipment and advanced chemical processing.
Their importance is also growing rapidly in the emerging hydrogen economy, where platinum plays a vital role in fuel-cell technologies that many countries see as essential for decarbonising transport and heavy industry.
Mineral reserves are different from annual production figures. They represent deposits that can be economically extracted using current technology and prevailing market conditions.
Although production levels may fluctuate depending on investment, regulations and commodity prices, reserve estimates provide an indication of which countries possess the greatest long-term re
As governments seek to reduce dependence on vulnerable supply chains, secure access to strategic minerals has become a major policy priority. Precious metals are increasingly viewed through the same lens as critical minerals because of their importance to financial systems, clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
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Published on:Jul 18, 2026 5:50 PM IST
