A recent discovery has attracted worldwide attention. It is a deposit containing about 1,000 metric tons (1.11 U.S. tons) of high-grade gold ore. If this discovery is finally proven to be true, it could be considered the largest gold deposit on Earth.
This discovery caught the attention of all researchers because a gold deposit of such magnitude could strongly influence global markets, local economies and long-term mining strategies. The deposit is located in a region known for its mineral wealth. However, it has now proven to be much richer than anyone had ever imagined.
According to early tests, it appears to meet all the requirements of what experts call a “supergiant” deposit. This term is used when gold resources measure not millions, but potentially billions of ounces, surpassing even well-known reserves worldwide.
What makes a gold deposit “supergiant”?
It is worth noting that not all gold deposits deserve the title of “supergiant”. This is because deposits of this magnitude represent natural accumulations of gold that formed under special conditions. Such conditions can result in higher concentrations than typical mines, which usually contain far fewer ounces.
The discovery of this gold deposit, located in China, is valued at approximately 600 million yuan or US$83 million. There are already comparisons with other well-baked sites and it exceeds even the 900 metric tons that exists within South Africa’s South Deep mine.
Hidden vein network
The Hunan Provincial Geological Bureau has confirmed the detection of 40 gold veins extending to a depth of approximately 2 kilometers below the surface. In other words, they are hidden. Each of these veins is like a thin thread of treasure extending through layers of ancient rock. Previously, these 40 veins in the Wangu deposit were thought to contain about 300 metric tons of gold.
A three-dimensional model suggests that there may be even many more veins hidden beneath the earth, at a depth of approximately 3 kilometers. It also suggests the possibility that the new riches extend beyond the initial surveys. In addition, many rock cores drilled showed visible gold.
Experts consider ore from deposits to be high-grade if they contain more than 8 grams. And according to the report that was made on this gold deposit, it exceeds the usual findings, so it is a discovery that attracts the attention of the whole world.
Likewise, it is worth mentioning that China already occupies an important place in the gold market, so this news is not surprising for them either. It currently holds reserves of more than 2,000 tons, according to reports made at the beginning of 2024.
Moreover, its miners are no strangers to success, as they contribute approximately 10 percent of the world’s production. The news of this discovery has further boosted prices for this precious mineral, adding to the growing demand worldwide.
Deposits of this mineral are the hardest to find
Gold is a finite resource, so there is only a certain amount of it on Earth. So far, about 53,000 metric tons of gold have been mined throughout history. Experts believe that there could be another 50,000 metric tons hidden underground, waiting to be found.
However, these new deposits are often harder to reach and more costly to extract. This is why this large gold deposit in China is considered a major discovery, marking a before and after, and proving that there are still many deposits waiting to be found.
