* Low Concentration: The concentration of gold in seawater is incredibly low, estimated at about 13 parts per trillion. To put that in perspective, that's like trying to find a single grain of sand on a beach the size of Texas.
* Extraction Challenges: Existing technologies for extracting gold from seawater are either:
* Inefficient: Some methods, like adsorption, can extract some gold but require massive amounts of energy and leave behind environmentally harmful byproducts.
* Costly: Other methods, like electrolysis, are too expensive to be commercially feasible, even with the high price of gold.
Historical Attempts:
* There have been numerous attempts throughout history to extract gold from seawater, but none have been commercially successful.
* During World War II, the German government even attempted to extract gold from seawater, but the project was ultimately abandoned.
Current Research:
* Research continues on finding more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to extract gold from seawater.
* However, the technological hurdles are significant, and it's unlikely that large-scale, commercially viable extraction will be possible in the near future.
Conclusion:
While there is gold in seawater, extracting it in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner remains a significant challenge. Therefore, while gold is present in seawater, it's not currently being extracted in a commercially viable way.