El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele isn’t holding back on his country’s potential wealth, claiming that untapped gold reserves could be worth a staggering $3 trillion—over 8,000% of the nation’s GDP.
Addressing citizens, he painted a bold picture of the country’s future, if the gold beneath their feet is ever mined.
A Treasure Trove Waiting to Be Unlocked
Bukele didn’t stop at gold. He revealed that early studies point to a jackpot of other valuable resources like cobalt, nickel, and lithium—minerals essential for the fourth industrial revolution. And here’s the kicker: only 4% of the potential mining area has been surveyed so far.
That small slice alone is said to contain 50 million ounces of gold, worth $131 billion—or 380% of El Salvador’s GDP. Imagine what the other 96% could hold.
Mining Without Disruption
While the numbers are jaw-dropping, Bukele assured citizens that mining wouldn’t disrupt their lives. According to him, less than 1% of the country’s land would be used, and the operations wouldn’t encroach on residential areas. Drawing comparisons to Qatar, he suggested that El Salvador could achieve similar economic success without sacrificing its natural beauty.
For now, these claims remain just that—claims. But they’ve reignited big conversations about El Salvador’s untapped potential and what it could mean for its future.
