Gold
One of the most versatile metals, gold is used in jewellery, medicine and electronics.
Gold
Gold is the most malleable and ductile of all elements. While jewellery accounts for approximately half of the global gold demand, it is also an important metal in electronics and is used as a semiconductor, printed circuit and electrical contact. China is the leading producer of gold, although Australia holds the largest share of global reserves. China is also the world’s largest consumer of gold, while . Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates are major hubs for the refining and trade of gold. reportedly refines over half of the world’s gold.
Gold is associated with a large range of ESG issues stemming from both large-scale mining (LSM) and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) supply chains, which comprises 15-20% of annual production of newly extracted gold.i. It is strongly associated with reports of pollution, community rights violations, violence and conflict, labour rights, child labour, corruption, and non-payment of taxes. This is due to a variety of reasons, including the fact that approximately 15-20% of gold is produced through artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM).
Main uses and applications
Gold has many uses across sectors, making it a highly valuable metal. It is used in jewellery, metalwork, as a financial instrument including currency reserve (for example, bullion or coins), and in computer processors.ii Gold has long been used in electronics; its use in electronics including semiconductors, printed circuit boardss and electrical contacts is common.iii Gold also has medical uses, for example as it is used for dental fillings and in medicine including radiography.iv
The usefulness of gold derives from the diversity of its special properties. Gold is one of the densest of all metals.v It is lustrous, highly durable, soft, and resistant to corrosion.vi It has high electrical and thermal conductivity, high thermal conductivity, and is the most malleable and the most ductile of all elements.vii
Key Countries
Top Producer
China
Top Reserves
Australia
Supply Chain Risk
TDi Sustainability's data rates Gold's association with the following issues as high or very high:
Country Governance Risks
Gold's association with countries experiencing:
Association with ESG issues
TDi Sustainability's data rates Gold's association with the following issues as high or very high:
Child labour
Community rights violations (OECD Annex II)
Company-community conflict (non-Annex II)
Corruption
Deforestation
Degraded/fragmented landscapes
Forced Labour
Illicit financial flows (Annex II)
Indigenous Peoples rights
Labour rights
Negative biodiversity and conservation impact
Negative perceptions of corporate citizenship
Non-payment of taxes (Annex II)
Occupational health and safety
Pollution
Violence and conflict (Annex II)