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Switzerland: From gravel to gold

Philipp Zahn
March 27, 2026

A Swiss company uses a sustainable method to extract gold dust from the ground. This chemical-free process makes natural gold especially pure and is popular with buyers.

https://p.dw.com/p/5AoBu

Gold prices have surged by 140 percent in two years, but traditional mining often harms people and the environment. In Switzerland, prospectors extract exceptionally pure “natural gold” from gravel pits—without chemicals and with simple washing techniques. Goldschürfer Marcel Siegenthaler and goldsmith Fabienne Gal show how sustainable, transparent gold production is gaining momentum as demand rises.