GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
Commercially important mines are found in every continent, and there are few regions on the earth’s surface that do not contain deposits profitably worked now or formerly. The distribution of gold has played an important part in the settlement of new lands, notably California, western Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Australia, and South Africa, and will undoubtedly greatly influence the future movements of peoples. Yet although gold is distributed thus widely, $323,950,000, or over 75 per cent. of the total amount of gold produced in 1917, came from four countries, Transvaal, United States, Australia and Russia.
The outputs of the chief producing countries are given in [Table 67] and [Figure 19].
North America
United States.
—Although at present surpassed by the Transvaal, the United States formerly led the world as a producer of gold. It is estimated that this country since 1792 has contributed about $3,913,000,000 to the gold supply of the world, a little less than 25 per cent. of the total produced, and an output greater than that of any other nation.[160] The United States first became an important producer in 1850, following the discovery of gold in California. Previous to that time some gold was mined in the Appalachian states, the total probably reaching $50,000,000.
[160] Report of the committee appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to study the gold situation.
In 1915 the output of the United States was $101,035,000, the highest mark so far reached. Since that year there has been an annual drop of about $8,000,000 in output. The yield in 1918 was $68,646,700 and in 1919, $58,488,800.
During the past four years, eight states, California, Colorado, Alaska, South Dakota, Nevada, Arizona, Montana, and Utah, have produced more than 90 per cent. of the gold mined in the United States.
Table 67.—Gold Production of the Principal Producing Countries, 1880-1917[161]