The Largest Gold Deposits In America Are In Very Unexpected Places

Gold has long been a metal that humans have voraciously sought out. It's a key component in building high tech electronics, and equally valuable as a base for jewelry. Others focus on the precious metal as an investment opportunity, seeking a stabilizing force to see them through the stock market's tough times. Indeed, gold can act as a bulwark when the market enters a period of correction, or worse. With tat said, aside from 'the ground,' you might wonder where gold really comes from. In the United States, some of the most productive regions exist in mountainous areas. While places like California and Alaska have been common focal points in the past, today the vast majority of the nation's gold is mined in the Nevada desert. In fact, the state accounts for roughly 70% of all gold mined in the U.S., but it's not just the concentration that has mining companies focused on the deserts around Sin City.

Nevada features an abundance of something known as 'Carlin-type' deposits. Ironically, Nevada is nicknamed the 'Silver State,' but it's gold deposits make it not just a critical location for U.S. mining operations, but also one of the world's most productive areas for gold extraction. While the average person is unlikely to successfully pan for gold out in the desert, consumer might consider investing in outfits cashing in on these nuggets of brilliant yellow metal, especially when you consider that the state's deposits are said to contain 225 million ounces of gold.

Some of the largest mining firms operating in Nevada include the Canadian outfit Kinross Gold, and American companies Barrick Mining and AngloGold Ashanti. The largest (Barrick) has a market cap of over $53 billion, trading on the NYSE around $31 share (as of October 21, 2025). Barrick, working within a joint venture, produced 1.65 million ounces of gold in 2024. Collectively, mining operations in the state produced $9 billion worth of the precious metal that year, per Nevada Current. To put that into context, Nevada alone was the fifth largest producer in the entire world — all while employing a workforce of nearly 11,000.

Investing in the companies that mine gold can be a great alternative for traders who want to branch into the commodity buy may not have the patience, security, or desire to actually hold physical coins or bullion. Mining companies are constantly exploring the landscape in search of new extraction opportunities, and 'striking gold,' so to speak can result in big value jumps. Alternatively, you might consider trading in companies that use the resource as a key material. Motherboards and CPUs in computers, for instance, tend to feature the highest concentration of gold among electronic parts, so companies that make these pieces of hardware might be solid options for gold-focused investors seeking a different approach. Similarly, brands that make heavy industrial equipment like excavators might also be a decent tertiary solution. CAT, for instance is a visible presence at many mines.