Yes, gold can be made in a lab, but it’s not practical at all.
Gold is a natural element with 79 protons in each atom. To create gold from another metal (like lead or mercury), scientists would have to change the number of protons in its atoms — and that can only be done using nuclear reactions in special machines, not in regular labs.
So, while it’s technically possible, it costs way more than the gold you get. That’s why no one does it commercially. Scientists only refine or purify gold in labs, not create it from scratch.