There Is Gold Dissolved in the Ocean
Ocean water contains gold, but it is so dilute that one study found only about one gram for every 100 million metric tons of water in the Atlantic and north Pacific.
Yes, but very little. NOAA cites a study that found about one gram of gold for every 100 million metric tons of ocean water in the Atlantic and north Pacific.
Explanation
Yes, there is gold in the ocean, says NOAA’s National Ocean Service, though nobody is getting rich from it. Gold in seawater is so dilute that its concentration is on the order of parts per trillion. NOAA cites one study that found only about one gram of gold for every 100 million metric tons of ocean water in the Atlantic and north Pacific, and adds that it is difficult to say exactly how much gold the ocean holds in total. There is also undissolved gold in and on the seafloor. Reaching it is the problem. NOAA explains that those deposits are a mile or two underwater and encased in rock that must be mined through. Currently, NOAA says, there is no cost-effective way to mine or extract gold from the ocean to make a profit.
Source and verification
- Source
- NOAA National Ocean Service Tier A
- Last verified
- Confidence
- 90 out of 100
- Verified by
- Ali Ahmad Chaudhry