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Gold Is Now a Strategic Mineral: Mining ETFs in Focus
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Key Takeaways
GDX, RING and SGDJ have outperformed past year, riding strong gold prices.
Policy push to boost U.S. gold output supports mining ETF outlook.
Brighter margin outlook and recent dips in GDX, RING and SGDJ may offer attractive entry points.
Gold was one of the standout performers in 2025 and is likely to remain a solid bet over the long term. Since mining stocks often act as leveraged plays of the underlying metal, gold mining ETFs delivered stellar returns over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500.
VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX - Free Report) has surged about 85% over the past year, trumping 33% advancement recorded byState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY - Free Report) (as of April 21, 2026).
One of the U.S. government’s key efforts to boost domestic critical mineral production is quietly taking shape in gold. In an Executive Order dated March 20, 2025, Donald Trump identified gold, along with uranium, copper and potash, as critical minerals.
The order emphasized reducing reliance on foreign sources and strengthening national and economic security through increased domestic production, per Forbes, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.
Policy Support Driving Mining Expansion
The executive order directs multiple federal agencies to accelerate mineral development, including prioritizing land use for mining activities. In response, the BLM has advanced several projects aimed at expanding gold production capacity across the country.
U.S. Gold Production on the Rise
The United States has already seen notable growth in gold output. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, domestic production reached approximately 160 tons in 2025, valued at $17 billion – up 32% year over year.
Nevada remained the top-producing state, contributing about 64% of total output, followed by Alaska at roughly 22%. Globally, leading gold producers include China, Russia, Australia and Canada, per Forbes, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.
Steady Gold Prices Likely to Drive Higher Profitability
In an environment marked with global instability, geopolitical tensions, and persistent skepticism around fiat currencies, investors are likely to flock to gold as a reliable safe-haven asset over the long term.
Gold bullion ETF SPDR Gold Trust (GLD - Free Report) has gained about 38% over the past year (as of April 21, 2026) and has added 7.9% so far this year despite the Iran war-led volatility. Over the past five years, GLD has returned about 158%.
Brighter Margins for Gold Miners?
U.S. gold mining companies are experiencing record-high margins in early 2026. Major miners like Newmont are prioritizing margin expansion over volume, as quoted by the Wall Street Journal.
Margins are expected to continue seeing a CAGR of 18.41% in the United States from 2024 to 2027, despite likely pressures from rising labor and fuel costs. Margins are expected to witness a CAGR of 14.12%, per a S&P Global report published in October 2025.
Gold mining companies are also experiencing solid free cash flow, which can be used for purposes like mergers and acquisitions, buybacks and debt reductions.
Bottom Line
The gold mining sector looks to be a good long-term bet. For investors looking to capitalize on this trend, mining ETFs, such as VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX - Free Report) , Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ - Free Report) and iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING - Free Report) , offer attractive entry points.
RING has declined 6.8% past week, GDX is off about 7%, and SGDJ has lost 1.7% (as of April 21, 2026). These ETFs can be tapped on the latest dip.
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Gold Is Now a Strategic Mineral: Mining ETFs in Focus
Key Takeaways
Gold was one of the standout performers in 2025 and is likely to remain a solid bet over the long term. Since mining stocks often act as leveraged plays of the underlying metal, gold mining ETFs delivered stellar returns over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500.
VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX - Free Report) has surged about 85% over the past year, trumping 33% advancement recorded byState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY - Free Report) (as of April 21, 2026).
One of the U.S. government’s key efforts to boost domestic critical mineral production is quietly taking shape in gold. In an Executive Order dated March 20, 2025, Donald Trump identified gold, along with uranium, copper and potash, as critical minerals.
The order emphasized reducing reliance on foreign sources and strengthening national and economic security through increased domestic production, per Forbes, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.
Policy Support Driving Mining Expansion
The executive order directs multiple federal agencies to accelerate mineral development, including prioritizing land use for mining activities. In response, the BLM has advanced several projects aimed at expanding gold production capacity across the country.
U.S. Gold Production on the Rise
The United States has already seen notable growth in gold output. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, domestic production reached approximately 160 tons in 2025, valued at $17 billion – up 32% year over year.
Nevada remained the top-producing state, contributing about 64% of total output, followed by Alaska at roughly 22%. Globally, leading gold producers include China, Russia, Australia and Canada, per Forbes, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.
Steady Gold Prices Likely to Drive Higher Profitability
In an environment marked with global instability, geopolitical tensions, and persistent skepticism around fiat currencies, investors are likely to flock to gold as a reliable safe-haven asset over the long term.
Gold bullion ETF SPDR Gold Trust (GLD - Free Report) has gained about 38% over the past year (as of April 21, 2026) and has added 7.9% so far this year despite the Iran war-led volatility. Over the past five years, GLD has returned about 158%.
Brighter Margins for Gold Miners?
U.S. gold mining companies are experiencing record-high margins in early 2026. Major miners like Newmont are prioritizing margin expansion over volume, as quoted by the Wall Street Journal.
Margins are expected to continue seeing a CAGR of 18.41% in the United States from 2024 to 2027, despite likely pressures from rising labor and fuel costs. Margins are expected to witness a CAGR of 14.12%, per a S&P Global report published in October 2025.
Gold mining companies are also experiencing solid free cash flow, which can be used for purposes like mergers and acquisitions, buybacks and debt reductions.
Bottom Line
The gold mining sector looks to be a good long-term bet. For investors looking to capitalize on this trend, mining ETFs, such as VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX - Free Report) , Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ - Free Report) and iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING - Free Report) , offer attractive entry points.
RING has declined 6.8% past week, GDX is off about 7%, and SGDJ has lost 1.7% (as of April 21, 2026). These ETFs can be tapped on the latest dip.