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Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) is a gold mineral exploration company focusing on three assets are the Mandilla gold project, the Feysville gold project, and the Carnilya Hill gold project. Astral is advancing its flagship Mandilla gold project, with a mineral resource estimate of 37 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.27 Moz. The 100 percent owned Feysville is another key project that hosts a mineral resource estimate of 3 million tons (Mt) at 1.3 grams per ton (g/t) gold for 116,000 ounces (oz) of contained gold.
The scoping study completed at Mandilla highlighted the Theia deposit, which accounts for 81 percent of the total Mandilla mineral resource estimate. The deposit hosts a mineral resource estimate of 29 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.02 Moz of contained gold in one large open pit. The scoping study indicates a mine life of 11 years with an annual production of 100,000 oz in the first seven and a half years, dropping to 41,000 oz for the remaining three and a half years. The study outlines compelling financial metrics, including NPV@8 percent of AU$442 million, free cash flow of AU$740 million, and a payback period of nine months.
Astral continues to advance exploration and resource expansion efforts at Mandilla with plans to commence a pre-feasibility study. The company completed a six-hole 1,832 metre drilling program at Theia deposit last year. The assay results have been released and indicate a high potential for the conversion of inferred resources to higher confidence indicated resources. The assay results include: 39 metres at 5.4 g/t gold, 29 metres at 2.8 g/t gold, 28 metres at 1.4 g/t gold, 8 metres at 8.8 g/t gold.
Company Highlights
- Astral Resources is an ASX-listed gold exploration company in the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia, a tier 1 jurisdiction and a mature mining region with successful development history and granted mining leases.
- The company has three assets - the Mandilla gold project, the Feysville gold project, and the Carnilya Hill gold exploration project.
- The focus is on advancing its flagship Mandilla gold project, with a mineral resource estimate of 37 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.27 Moz.
- The scoping study at Mandilla highlights the project’s robust economics with a mine life of 11 years, NPV@8 percent of AU$442 million, and free cash flow of AU$740 million.
- Mandilla’s cornerstone Theia deposit, which comprises 81 percent of the project’s resources, contains 29 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold, with 1.02 Moz of contained gold in one large open pit.
- Feysville project hosts a mineral resource estimate of 3 Mt at 1.3g/t gold for 116 koz of contained gold. The project could potentially become a source of satellite ore feed to Astral’s flagship Mandilla gold project.
- The company is led by an experienced team with a proven track record of advancing projects to development and M&A.
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Astral Resources
Investor Insight
Astral Resources presents a compelling investment case as an ASX-listed gold explorer with a 1.46 Moz resource base in Western Australia's premier Kalgoorlie region, anchored by its flagship Mandilla project which demonstrates robust economics with an AU$442 million NPV and 11-year mine life.
Overview
Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) is a gold mineral exploration company with three gold projects in tier 1 mining jurisdictions of Western Australia. The three assets are the Mandilla gold project, the Feysville gold project, and the Carnilya Hill gold project. The flagship and 100 percent owned Mandilla gold project has a mineral resource containing 1.27 million ounces (Moz) of contained gold. The other key project, 100 percent owned Feysville, hosts an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 5.0 Mt at 1.2g/t gold for 196 koz of contained gold . Feysville could potentially become a satellite source of high-grade ore feed for the flagship Mandilla gold project.
The scoping study completed at Mandilla unveils robust project economics. The cornerstone of the scoping study is the Theia deposit, which alone accounts for 81 percent of the total Mandilla mineral resource estimate. The deposit hosts a mineral resource estimate of 29 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.02 Moz of contained gold in one large open pit. The scoping study indicates a mine life of 11 years with an annual production of 100,000 oz in the first seven and a half years, dropping to 41,000 oz for the remaining three and a half years. The study outlines compelling financial metrics, including NPV@8 percent of AU$442 million, free cash flow of AU$740 million, and a payback period of nine months.
Astral benefits from a team of professionals boasting extensive expertise in geology and mining.
The company is led by managing director Marc Ducler, who has more than two decades of experience in the mining industry. The management team has a proven track record of executing several successful exploration and development projects, as well as M&A.
Company Highlights
- Astral Resources is an ASX-listed gold exploration company in the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia, a tier 1 jurisdiction and a mature mining region with a successful development history and granted mining leases.
- The company has three assets - the Mandilla gold project, the Feysville gold project, and the Carnilya Hill gold exploration project.
- The focus is on advancing its flagship Mandilla gold project, with a mineral resource estimate of 37 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.27 Moz.
- The scoping study at Mandilla highlights the project’s robust economics with a mine life of 11 years, NPV@8 percent of AU$442 million, and free cash flow of AU$740 million.
- Mandilla’s cornerstone Theia deposit comprises 81 percent of the project’s resources, contains 29 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold, with 1.02 Moz of contained gold in one large open pit.
- Updated JORC 2012 mineral resource estimate (MRE) at the Feysville gold project is 5.0Mt at 1.2g/t gold for 196koz of contained gold.
- Including the Mandilla MRE of 37Mt at 1.1g/t gold for 1.27Moz of contained gold, Astral’s total gold MRE is now calculated to be 42Mt at 1.1g/t gold for 1.46Moz of contained gold (Group MRE).
- The company is led by an experienced team with a proven track record of advancing projects to development and M&A.
Key Projects
Mandilla Gold Project
The Mandilla gold project is located within the northern region of the Widgiemooltha greenstone belt, approximately 70 kilometers to the south of the prominent mining hub of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Mandilla includes four deposits namely, Theia, Iris, Eos and Hestia. The cornerstone of the project is the Theia deposit, constituting 81 percent of Mandilla's resources, totaling 29 Mt at a grade of 1.1 g/t gold, amounting to 1.02 Moz of contained gold in a single open pit. Mandilla has a total mineral resource estimate of 37 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.27 Moz.
The scoping study indicates a mine life of 11 years with an annual production of 100,000 oz in the first seven and a half years, dropping to 41,000 oz for the remaining three and a half years. Astral estimates the pre-production capital spend at AU$191 million, and the project is anticipated to generate a free cash flow of AU$740 million (assuming a gold price of A$2,750/oz). The project’s NPV @8 percent is estimated at AU$442 million, and the IRR at 73 percent.
Drill collars at Theia deposit
Astral continues to advance exploration and resource expansion efforts at Mandilla. The company recently completed a four-hole 1,762-metre in-fill diamond drilling program at the Theia deposit late last year. Best results included: 28 metres at 2.63 g/t gold, 15.5 metres at 1.81 g/t gold, 9.6 metres at 27.6 g/t gold, 2.4 metres at 169.1 g/t gold, 24.9 metres at 4.14 g/t gold and 72.2 metres at 1.15 g/t gold.
Astral has commenced work on a pre-feasibility study at Mandilla, which is due in the June quarter 2025.
Feysville Gold Project
The Feysville project is situated in Australia's premier gold belt, merely 14 km south of the Golden Mile deposit, which boasts 70 million ounces, located in Kalgoorlie. The project's updated JORC 2012 MRE indicates 5.0 Mt at 1.2 g/t gold for 196 koz of contained gold. Including the Mandilla MRE of 37 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.27 Moz of contained gold, Astral’s total gold MRE is now calculated to be 42 Mt at 1.1 g/t gold for 1.46 Moz of contained gold (group MRE).
At Feysville, Astral is focusing on the high-grade Kamperman prospect. A recent 31-hole (3,834 m) reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at Kamperman returned encouraging assay results. The latest drilling program returned best assay results of 33 metres at 3.75 g/t gold, 22 metres at 5.21 g/t gold, and 22 metres at 4.44 g/t gold. This high success rate continues to indicate that Kamperman has the potential to be a substantial source of high-grade satellite ore for the Mandilla processing plant.
Carnilya Gold Project
The Carnilya Hill gold project is situated about 20 kilometers south-southeast of the company's Feysville project and approximately 40 kilometers southeast of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The project encompasses various tenements – M26/047-049, M26/453 – spanning approximately 2.65 sq. km. Astral holds rights for gold mining, while Mincor Resources NL (ASX:MCR) holds rights to nickel and other minerals.Management Team
Mark Connelly – Non-executive Chairman
Mark Connelly is a mining industry veteran who has held positions of CEO and managing director with several multinational companies across many jurisdictions, including Australia, North America, South America, Africa and Europe. He has a proven track record in deal making and was principally responsible for the merger of Papillon Resources and B2 Gold Corp in October 2014 (value US$570 million), as well as the key person responsible for the merger of Adamus Resources and Endeavour Mining for US$579 million. He is currently the non-executive chair of Calidus Resources, Omnia Metals Group, Alto Metals, Warriedar Resources and Nickel Search.
Marc Ducler – Managing Director
Marc Ducler has more than 20 years of experience in the mining industry. He has held senior operational management roles with GoldFields, BHP, Fortescue Metals, MRL and Roy Hill. He was also the managing director of Egan Street Resources (a gold exploration and development company) until it was acquired by Silver Lake Resources (ASX:SLR).
Peter Stern – Non-executive Director
Peter Stern has experience in corporate advisory, specializing in M&A and capital raising. He has spent six years with Macquarie Bank and three years with UBS and Deutsche Bank. He is a graduate of Monash University with a Bachelor of Science (geology major). Stern is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the chairman of Troy Resources.
David Varcoe – Non-executive Director
David Varcoe is a mining engineer with over three decades of experience. He has extensive operational and managerial experience across various commodities, including gold, iron ore, copper, diamonds, coal, uranium and rare earths. His expertise spans board positions, operations management, project management and consulting. Varcoe is a principal consultant with the leading Australian firm AMC Consulting.
Justin Osborne – Non-executive Director
Justin Osborne is a geologist with over 30 years of experience in exploration. He was previously the executive director at Gold Road Resources (ASX:GOR), where he played a crucial role in developing the world-class Gruyere gold deposit (6.6 Moz gold). Osborne also held senior positions on the exploration executive team at Gold Fields. He was instrumental in developing the Damang Superpit project in Ghana and achieved significant discovery success at the St Ives gold mine.
Brendon Morton – Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary
Brendon Morton has over 20 years of experience, particularly in the global resources sector across Australia, Africa and Asia. He has held several executive financial and company secretarial roles with ASX-listed and unlisted companies in the resources industry.
Steve Lampron – Technical Services Manager
Steve Lampron is a mining engineer with more than 20 years industry experience. As well as having worked in production roles for companies such as Placer Dome, Barrick and North American Palladium he has also worked as a Consultant for over 10 years.
Julie Reid – Geology Manager
Julie Reid has 36 years of experience working across Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia, covering a variety of commodities in diverse geological terrains. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from Curtin University of Technology.
Gold exploration with highly prospective assets in Western Australia
Adavale Resources
Investor Insight
Adavale Resources’ transformative January 2025 acquisition of the Parkes Project gold and copper assets in the prolific Lachlan Fold Belt in New South Wales, delivering a maiden JORC MRE (115 koz) in May 2025 on one of the licenses along with abundant prospects on four neighboring licences, puts the company on a growth trajectory, presenting a compelling investment opportunity for savvy investors.
Overview
Adavale Resources (ASX:ADD) is strategically positioned in the Tier-1 Lachlan Fold Belt of New South Wales, one of the world’s most prolific gold and copper regions. In January 2025, the company acquired the Parkes Gold-Copper Project, a 371.39 sq km landholding across four tenements, including the historic London-Victoria gold mine. By May 2025, Adavale delivered a maiden JORC mineral resource estimate of 115 koz gold, including a higher-grade estimate of 3.14 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.06 grams per ton (g/t) gold for 107 koz, underscoring the quality and scale of the project.
The Parkes project hosts multiple high-priority exploration targets with strong potential for discovery and resource expansion, supported by growing regional infrastructure and proximity to major mining operations. With gold and copper both central to the global energy transition and long-term demand growth, Adavale provides investors with leveraged exposure to two of the most sought-after commodities, backed by a rapidly advancing exploration program in a premier mining jurisdiction.
Adavale’s diversified portfolio of critical minerals also includes 11 uranium licences covering 4,959 sq km in South Australia, anchored by the Marree Embayment and Ceduna regions with grades up to 3,550 parts per million (ppm) U₃O₈. The company also holds a 1,315-sq-km nickel position in Tanzania’s East African Nickel Belt, strategically located adjacent to the world-class Kabanga deposit (87.6 Mt @ 2.63 percent nickel).
With drilling programs currently underway across its gold and near-term drilling on its uranium projects, and further exploration planned through 2025, Adavale is well-positioned at the forefront of exploration in commodities critical to the global energy transition.
Backed by a robust pipeline, world-class assets in tier-one jurisdictions, and an experienced leadership team, Adavale offers strong leverage to favourable commodity trends and significant growth potential.
Company Highlights
- A junior explorer, with projects in tier-one jurisdictions, focused on gold and copper, Adavale also holds valuable uranium and nickel licences.
- The January 2025 acquisition of the Parkes project in the Lachlan Fold Belt, spanning 371.39 sq km, strategically positions Adavale to expand on the historic BHP Gold/Hargraves open pit orogenic gold resource (MRE 115koz) and make a major epithermal and/or porphyry gold and copper discovery in this tier-1 mining jurisdiction. The Lachlan Fold Belt assets are strategically located near world-class mining operations, including Cadia, Northparkes and Cowal.
- The company’s extensive uranium tenements span 4,959 sq km across the Flinders Ranges and Eyre Peninsula, regions known for hosting tier-one uranium deposits.
- Adavale’s nickel projects in Tanzania’s East African Nickel Belt are strategically located adjacent to the Kabanga nickel project — the world’s largest undeveloped high-grade nickel sulphide deposit.
- Drilling and resource-definition programs in 2025 will target key gold, copper and uranium assets, building on the company’s diversified growth strategy.
Key Projects
Gold and Copper – Lachlan Fold Belt, NSW
Adavale’s Parkes Gold-Copper Project, a highly prospective exploration opportunity in the Lachlan Fold Belt of New South Wales, a Tier-1 mining jurisdiction that has produced more than 80 Moz of gold and 13 Mt of copper. The project covers 371.39 sq km across five granted tenements, anchored by the historic London-Victoria Gold Mine (EL7242), which produced 155,000 oz gold at 1.5 to 2 g/t and remains open for expansion.
Project Highlights
- Strategic Location: Situated in the world-class Lachlan Fold Belt, home to Cadia, Northparkes, and Cowal.
- Significant Landholding: 371.39 sq km across five granted tenements (EL7242, EL8830, EL8831, EL9711, EL9785).
- Maiden JORC Resource (2025): 115 koz gold, including 107 koz @ 1.06 g/t gold from 3.14 Mt higher-grade mineralisation at London-Victoria.
- Drilling Momentum: Ongoing 2025 drilling program, supported by a AU$2.65 million placement, targeting extensions and new discoveries.
- High-Grade Upside:
- Ashes Prospect (EL8831): rock chips up to 8.8 g/t gold and 5.5 percent copper.
- Welcome Mine (EL8830): historical grades averaging 11 g/t gold.
- Growth Pathway: Systematic geophysics, geochemistry, and step-out drilling underway to expand the maiden resource and advance Parkes into a multi-deposit gold-copper camp.
Uranium – South Australia
Adavale holds 4,959 sq km of uranium-rich tenements across the highly prospective Flinders Ranges outwash and Eyre Peninsula, regions known for hosting tier-1 uranium deposits.
Historical drilling has revealed promising results, including intercepts of 1 metre at 263 parts per million (ppm) eU3O8 and 0.65 meters at 235 ppm eU3O8. These results underscore the region’s potential to host significant uranium resources.
Adavale’s uranium portfolio is particularly well-positioned to benefit from increasing global demand for uranium, driven by geopolitical factors, rising nuclear energy investment globally, and surging prices, which reached $106/lb in early 2024.
Nickel – East African Nickel Belt, Tanzania
Adavale’s nickel portfolio includes 1,315 sq km across 13 highly prospective exploration licences in Tanzania’s East African Nickel Belt. It is strategically located next to and along strike of the world-class Kabanga nickel project — the world’s largest undeveloped high-grade nickel sulphide deposit. Recent exploration at the Luhuma Central prospect has confirmed nickel sulphides in all five drill holes completed, with mineralisation trends extending southwest.
The company employs a combination of geophysical methods, including gravity, magnetics and Heli-EM surveys, to refine its understanding of subsurface structures and identify high-priority drill targets. Adavale’s ongoing exploration in this globally significant nickel belt is expected to build on recent successes, advancing resource definition and project development, making the company well-positioned to make a significant contribution to the global demand for battery metals.
Leadership Team
Allan Ritchie - Executive Chairman and CEO
Allan Ritchie is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience spanning corporate finance, energy, and resources, with leadership roles across both private and publicly listed companies on the ASX and HKEX. He has served as non-executive director of Hydrocarbon Dynamics (ASX:HCD) and as executive director and Deputy CEO of Hong Kong–listed EPI Holdings (0689.HKEX).
Ritchie’s career also includes senior investment banking roles with Westpac, ANZ, HSBC, and BNP Paribas in Australia, London, New York, and Asia Pacific, where he specialised in structuring transactions in the energy and resources sector and was repeatedly recognised in BRW’s annual ranking of top bankers. He holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology Sydney and a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Finance from FINSIA.
Maurice (Nic) Matich - Non-executive Director
Maurice (Nic) Matich is a mechanical engineer and finance professional with 17 years’ experience in the resources sector, spanning engineering, risk consulting, and insurance for tier-1 mining companies across lithium, iron ore, mineral sands, gold, and kaolin. He previously served as managing director of Pinnacle Minerals (ASX:PIM) and executive director of Heavy Minerals (ASX:HVY), where he delivered a maiden resource and $253 million NPV8 scoping study for the Port Gregory Project. Matich holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), a Bachelor of Science (Physics/IT), a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance, and is a graduate of the AICD.
David Ward - Non-executive Technical Director (Geologist)
David Ward is a geologist and mining executive with over 25 years of experience spanning early-stage exploration, project development, and both open-pit and underground mining. As chief geologist of Bacchus Resources for eight years, he defined more than 950Koz of gold resources in the NT and advanced exploration assets in the NT, QLD, and NSW that were later incorporated into projects of multiple ASX-listed companies. He has also held key technical roles with Newcrest Mining at the Cadia Gold Mine and with Clancy Exploration, leading porphyry and epithermal exploration in the Lachlan Fold Belt, NSW.
Leonard Math - CFO & Company Secretary
Leonard Math is a chartered accountant with extensive experience managing financial operations for ASX listed resources companies. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business (double major in accounting and information systems) from Edith Cowan University in 2003 and became a chartered accountant in September, 2008. He has held multiple director, CFO and company secretary roles in the resources sector, most recently with Summit Minerals (ASX:SUM).
What Was the Highest Price for Gold?
Gold market gurus from Lynette Zang to Chris Blasi to Jordan Roy-Byrne have shared eye-popping predictions on the gold price that would intrigue any investor — gold bug or not.
Some have posited that the gold price may rise as high as US$4,000 or US$5,000 per ounce, and there are those who believe that US$10,000 gold or even US$40,000 gold could become a reality.
These impressive price predictions have investors wondering, what is gold's all-time high (ATH)?
In the past year, gold has reached new all-time highs dozens of times. Find out what has driven it to these levels, plus how the gold price has moved historically and what has impacted its performance in recent years.
In this article
How is gold traded?
Before discovering what the highest gold price ever was, it’s worth looking at how the precious metal is traded. Knowing the mechanics behind gold's historical moves can help illuminate why and how its price changes.
Gold bullion is traded in dollars and cents per ounce, with activity taking place worldwide at all hours, resulting in a live price. Investors trade gold in major commodities markets such as New York, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
London is seen as the center of physical precious metals trading, including for silver. The COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange is home to most paper trading.
There are many popular ways to invest in gold. The first is through purchasing gold bullion products such as bullion bars, bullion coins and rounds. Physical gold is sold on the spot market, meaning that buyers pay a specific price per ounce for the metal and then have it delivered or stored in a secure facility. In some parts of the world, such as India, buying gold in the form of jewelry is the largest and most traditional route to investing in gold.
Another path to gold investment is paper trading, which is done through the gold futures market. Participants enter into gold futures contracts for the delivery of gold in the future at an agreed-upon price.
In such contracts, two positions can be taken: a long position under which delivery of the metal is accepted or a short position to provide delivery of the metal. Paper trading as a means to invest in gold can provide investors with the flexibility to liquidate assets that aren’t available to those who possess physical gold bullion.
One significant long-term advantage of trading in the paper market is that investors can benefit from gold’s safe-haven status without needing to store it. Furthermore, gold futures trading can offer more financial leverage in that it requires less capital than trading in the physical market. Investors can also purchase physical gold via the futures market, but the process is complicated and lengthy and comes with a large investment and additional costs.
Aside from those options, market participants can invest in gold through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investing in a gold ETF is similar to trading a gold stock on an exchange, and there are numerous gold ETF options to choose from depending on your preference. For instance, some ETFs focus solely on physical gold bullion, while others focus on gold futures contracts. Other gold ETFs center on gold-mining stocks or follow the gold spot price.
It is important to understand that you will not own any physical gold when investing in an ETF — in general, even a gold ETF that tracks physical gold cannot be redeemed for tangible metal.
Gold has an interesting relationship with the stock market. The two often move in sync during “risk-on periods” when investors are bullish. On the flip side, they tend to become inversely correlated in times of volatility.
According to the World Gold Council, gold's ability to decouple from the stock market during periods of stress makes it “unique amongst most hedges in the marketplace.” It is often during these times that gold outperforms the stock market. For that reason, it is often used as a portfolio diversifier to hedge against uncertainty.
There are a variety of options for investing in gold stocks, including gold-mining stocks on the TSX and ASX, gold juniors, precious metals royalty companies and gold stocks that pay dividends.
What was the highest gold price ever?
The gold price peaked at US$3,748.80, its all-time high, during trading on September 22, 2025.
What drove it to this new ATH? Gold reached its new highest price in US dollars during Monday's trading session as geopolitical tensions rose and US President Donald Trump continued to criticize the US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for being slow, even after the agency announced a widely anticipated interest rate reduction of 25 basis points on September 17.
Gold has been consistently setting new record highs in September. News and speculation around the Fed meeting has been supportive of the gold price in the past few weeks, with rate cut expectations heavily fueled by the release of US consumer price index data, as well as weaker than expected US jobs numbers.
Highs last week were also supported by the US dollar index falling to a year-to-date low 96.56 on September 16, continuing a downtrend that started in mid-January. Traditionally, gold trades higher when the US dollar is weak, making it a popular hedge.
Bond market turmoil in the US and abroad on September 2 also provided tailwinds for gold.
While gold's fresh ATH came on September 22, on September 7 gold's record-breaking run officially took it past its inflation adjusted all-time high of US$850 per ounce set in January 1980.
2025 gold price chart
Gold price chart, December 31, 2024, to September 22, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
Why is the gold price setting new highs in 2025?
Gold's record-setting activity extends beyond the last several weeks as well.
Increased economic and geopolitical turmoil caused by the Trump administration has been a tailwind for gold this year, as well as a weakening US dollar, sticky inflation in the country and increased safe-haven gold demand.
Since coming into office in late January, Trump has threatened or enacted tariffs on many countries, including blanket tariffs on longtime US allies Canada and Mexico and tariffs on the EU.
Trump has also implemented 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.
The gold price set a string of new highs in the month of April amid high market volatility as markets reacted to tariff decisions from Trump, including the "Liberation Day" tariffs announced April 2, and the escalating trade war between the US and China. By April 11, Trump had raised US tariffs on Chinese imports to 145 percent and China had raised its tariffs on US products to 125 percent. Trump has reiterated that the US may need to go through a period of economic pain to enter a new "golden age" of economic prosperity.
Falling markets and a declining US dollar have supported gold too, as well as increased buying from China. Elon Musk's call to audit the gold holdings in Fort Knox has also brought attention to the yellow metal.
What factors have driven the gold price in the last five years?
Despite these recent runs, gold has seen its share of both peaks and troughs over the last decade. After remaining rangebound between US$1,100 and US$1,300 from 2014 to early 2019, gold pushed above US$1,500 in the second half of 2019 on a softer US dollar, rising geopolitical issues and a slowdown in economic growth.
Gold’s first breach of the significant US$2,000 price level in mid-2020 was due in large part to economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To break through that barrier and reach what was then a record high, the yellow metal added more than US$500, or 32 percent, to its value in the first eight months of 2020.
Gold price chart, September 21, 2020, to September 22, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
The gold price surpassed that level again in early 2022 as Russia's invasion of Ukraine collided with rising inflation around the world, increasing the allure of safe-haven assets and pulling the yellow metal up to a price of US$2,074.60 on March 8. However, it fell throughout the rest of 2022, dropping below US$1,650 in October.
Although it didn't quite reach the level of volatility as the previous year, the gold price experienced drastic price changes in 2023 on the back of banking instability, high interest rates and the breakout of war in the Middle East.
After central bank buying pushed the gold price up to the US$1,950.17 mark by the end of January, the Fed's 0.25 percent rate hike on February 1 sparked a retreat as the dollar and treasury yields saw gains. The precious metal went on to fall to its lowest price level of the year at US$1,809.87 on February 23.
The banking crisis that hit the US in early March caused a domino effect through the global financial system and led to the mid-March collapse of Credit Suisse, Switzerland’s second-largest bank. The gold price had jumped to US$1,989.13 by March 15. The continued fallout in the global banking system throughout the second quarter of the year allowed gold to break above US$2,000 on April 3, and go on to flirt with a near-record high of US$2,049.92 on May 3.
Those gains were tempered by the Fed’s ongoing rate hikes and improvements in the banking sector, resulting in a downward trend in the gold price throughout the remainder of the second quarter and throughout Q3. By October 4, gold had fallen to a low of US$1,820.01 and analysts expected the precious metal to drop below US$1,800.
That was before the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel ignited legitimate fears of a much larger conflict erupting in the Middle East. Reacting to those fears, and to rising expectations that the Fed would begin to reverse course on interest rates, gold broke through the important psychological level of US$2,000 and closed at US$2,007.08 on October 27. As the fighting intensified, gold reached a then-new high of US$2,152.30 in intraday trading on December 3.
That robust momentum in the spot gold price continued into 2024, chasing new highs on fears of a looming US recession, the promise of Fed rate cuts on the horizon, the worsening conflict in the Middle East and the tumultuous US presidential election year. By mid-March, gold was pushing up against the US$2,200 level.
That record-setting momentum continued into the second quarter of 2024, when gold broke through US$2,400 in mid-April on strong central bank buying, sovereign debt concerns in China and investors expecting the Fed to start cutting interest rates. The precious metal went on to hit US$2,450.05 on May 20.
Throughout the summer, the hits kept on coming.
The global macro environment was highly bullish for gold leading up to the US election. Following the failed assassination attempt on Trump and a statement about coming rate cuts by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the gold spot price hit a then new all-time high on July 16 at US$2,469.30. One week later, news that then-President Joe Biden would not seek re-election and would instead pass the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris eased some of the tension in the stock market and strengthened the US dollar. This also pushed the price of gold down to US$2,387.99 on July 22, 2024.
However, the bullish factors supporting gold remained in play, and the spot price for gold went on to breach US$2,500 on August 2 that year on a less-than-stellar US jobs report; it closed just above the US$2,440 level. A few weeks later, gold pushed past US$2,500 once again on August 16, closing above that level for the first time ever after the US Department of Commerce released data showing a fifth consecutive monthly decrease in a row for homebuilding.
The news that the Chinese government issued new gold import quotas to banks in the country following a two month pause also helped fuel the gold price rally. Central bank gold buying has been a significant tailwind for the gold price this year, and China's central bank has been one of the strongest buyers.
Market watchers expected the Fed to cut interest rates by a quarter point at its September 2024 meeting, but news on September 12 that the regulators were still deciding between the expected cut or a larger half-point cut led the gold price on a rally that carried through into the next day, bringing the metal near US$2,600.
At the September 18 Fed meeting, the committee ultimately made the decision to cut rates by half a point, news that sent gold even higher. By September 20, it had moved above US$2,600 and was holding above US$2,620.
In October 2024, gold first breached the US$2,700 level and continued to higher on a variety of factors, including further rate cuts and economic data anticipation, the escalating conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hezbollah, and economic stimulus in China — not to mention the very close race between the US presidential candidates.
While the gold price fell following Trump's win in early November and largely held under US$2,700 through the end of the year, it began trending upward in 2025.
Gold's first breach of the US$3,000 mark came on March 14, 2025, as Trump implemented and threatened tariffs against a wide range of countries, including allies. The gold price continued to climb, moving as high as US$3,160 on April 2, when Trump announced his "Liberation Day" tariffs.
We dive further into gold's record-setting run and new all-time high in 2025 in the previous sections.
What's next for the gold price?
What's next for the gold price is never an easy call to make. There are many factors to consider, but some of the most prevalent long-term drivers include economic expansion, market risk, opportunity cost and momentum.
Economic expansion is one of the primary gold price contributors as it facilitates demand growth in several categories, including jewelry, technology and investment. As the World Gold Council explains, “This is particularly true in developing economies where gold is often used as a luxury item and a means to preserve wealth.”
Market risk is also a prime catalyst for gold values as investors view the precious metal as the “ultimate safe haven,” and a hedge against currency depreciation, inflation and other systemic risks.
Going forward, in addition to the Fed, inflation and geopolitical events, experts will be looking for cues from factors like supply and demand. In terms of supply, the world’s five top gold producers are China, Australia, Russia, Canada and the US. The consensus in the gold market is that major miners have not spent enough on gold exploration in recent years. As for gold mine production, global output fell from around 3,200 to 3,300 metric tons (MT) each year between 2018 and 2020 to around 3,000 to 3,100 MT each year between 2021 and 2022. However, gold production turned around in 2023 and 2024, reaching 3,250 MT and 3,300 MT respectively.
On the demand side, China and India are the biggest buyers of physical gold, and are in a perpetual fight for the title of world’s largest gold consumer. That said, it's worth noting that the last few years have brought a big rebound in central bank gold buying, which dropped to a record low in 2020, but reached a 55 year high of 1,136 MT in 2022.
World Gold Council data shows 2024 central bank gold purchases came to 1,044.6 metric tons, marking the third year in a row above 1,000 MT. In H1 2025, the organization reported gold purchases from central banks reached 415.1 MT.
“I expect the Fed’s rate-cutting cycle to be good for gold, but central bank buying has been and remains a major factor," Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com, told the Investing News Network (INN) at the start of Q4 2024.
David Barrett, CEO of the UK division of global brokerage firm EBC Financial Group, is also keeping an eye on central bank purchases of gold. “I still see the global central bank buying as the main driver — as it has been over the last 15 years,” the expert said in an email to INN. "This demand removes supply from the market. They are the ultimate buy-and-hold participants and they have been buying massive amounts."
In addition to central bank moves, analysts are also watching escalating tensions in the Middle East, a weakening US dollar, declining bond yields and further interest rate cuts as factors that could push gold higher as investors look to secure their portfolios.
“When it comes to outside factors that affect the market, it’s just tailwind after tailwind after tailwind. So I don’t really see the trend changing,” said Eric Coffin of Hard Rock Analyst.
Randy Smallwood of Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM) told INN in March 2025 that gold is seeing support from many factors, including central bank buying, nervousness around the US dollar and stronger institutional interest. Smallwood is seeing an influx of fund managers wanting to learn about precious metals.
Joe Cavatoni, senior market strategist, Americas, at the World Gold Council, believes that market risk and uncertainty surrounding tariffs and continued demand from central banks are the main drivers of gold.
"Market risk in particular is a key strategic driver for the gold price and performance," Cavatoni told INN in a July 2025 interview. "Think strategically when you think about gold, and keep that allocation in mind."
Check out more of INN's interviews to find out what experts have said about the gold price during its 2025 bull run and where it could go next.
Should you beware of gold price manipulation?
It’s important for investors to be aware that gold price manipulation is a hot topic in the industry.
In 2011, when gold hit what was then a record high, it dropped swiftly in just a few short years. This decline after three years of impressive gains led many in the gold sector to cry foul and point to manipulation.
Early in 2015, 10 banks were hit in a US probe on precious metals manipulation.
Evidence provided by Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) showed “smoking gun” proof that UBS Group (NYSE:UBS), HSBC Holdings (NYSE:HSBC), the Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS,NYSE:BNS and other firms were involved in rigging gold and silver rates in the market from 2007 to 2013. Not long after, the long-running London gold fix was replaced by the LBMA gold price in a bid to increase gold price transparency. The twice-a-day process, operated by the ICE Benchmark Administration, still involves a variety of banks collaborating to set the gold price, but the system is now electronic.
Still, manipulation has by no means been eradicated, as a 2020 fine on JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) shows. The next year, chat logs were released in a spoofing trial for two former precious metals traders from the Bank of America's (NYSE:BAC) Merrill Lynch unit. They show a trader bragging about how easy it is to manipulate the gold price.
Gold market participants have consistently spoken out about manipulation. In mid-2020, Chris Marcus, founder of Arcadia Economics and author of the book “The Big Silver Short,” said that when gold fell back below the US$2,000 mark after hitting close to US$2,070, he saw similarities to what happened with the gold price in 2011.
Marcus has been following the gold and silver markets with a focus specifically on price manipulation for nearly a decade. His advice? “Trust your gut. I believe we’re witnessing the ultimate ’emperor’s really naked’ moment. This isn’t complex financial analysis. Sometimes I think of it as the greatest hypnotic thought experiment in history.”
Investor takeaway
While we have the answer to what the highest gold price ever is as of now, it remains to be seen how high gold can climb, and if the precious metal can reach as high as US$5,000, US$10,000 or even US$40,000.
Even so, many market participants believe gold is a must have in any investment profile, and there is little doubt investors will continue to see gold price action making headlines this year and beyond.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2020.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
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