Gold has been sought after and highly valued for centuries and its production plays a significant role in the global economy. In this infographic, we’ll take a look at the top gold mines in the world by 2022 annual production, giving you a glimpse of the scale and magnitude of gold mining. Let’s dive into the glittering world of gold mining to see which are making the largest impact on the global market.
Olimpiada Mine
The Olimpiada Mine is located in the Krasnoyarsk Krai region of Russia, in the eastern part of the country. The mine is owned and operated by Polyus, which is the largest gold producer in Russia. Olimpiada utilizes both open-pit and underground mining methods to extract gold. Open-pit mining is typically used for shallow deposits, while underground mining targets deeper ore bodies.
Grasberg Mine
The Grasberg Mine is located in the province of Papua in Indonesia, near Puncak Jaya, the highest mountain in Papua. The mine is owned and operated by Freeport-McMoRan, an American mining company. The Grasberg Mine is known for its significant production of gold and copper. It is one of the world’s largest producers of both metals.
Muruntau Mine
The Muruntau Mine is owned and operated by Navoi Mining & Metallurgy Combinat (NMMC), which is a state-owned company in Uzbekistan. It is located in the Kyzylkum Desert of Uzbekistan, in the Navoiy Region, which is approximately 250 miles west of the capital city, Tashkent. The mine employs conventional open-pit mining methods to extract gold ore from the Muruntau deposit. This involves drilling, blasting, loading, and hauling the ore.
Carlin Mine
The Carlin Mine is located in northeastern Nevada, United States, near the town of Carlin. Ite is part of the Carlin Trend, which was discovered in the early 1960s by geologists exploring for uranium. Gold was discovered in the area, leading to the development of numerous gold mines, including Carlin. The mine is owned and operated by Nevada Gold Mines LLC, a joint venture between Barrick Gold Corporation and Newmont Corporation, two of the world’s largest gold mining companies.
Boddington Mine
Gold was first discovered in the Boddington area in the late 19th century, but modern exploration and development of the mine began in the late 1980s. The Boddington Mine is located in Western Australia, about 80 miles southeast of Perth, the state capital. The Boddington Mine is owned and operated by Newmont Corporation.
Kibali Gold Mine
The Kibali Gold Mine is located in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, near the border with Uganda, about 350 miles northeast of the capital city, Kinshasa. The Kibali deposit was discovered in 2002 by Randgold Resources, which later merged with Barrick Gold Corporation. Exploration and development of the mine began in the mid-2000s. The Kibali Gold Mine is owned and operated by Kibali Goldmines SA, a joint venture between Barrick Gold Corporation, AngloGold Ashanti, and Société Minière de Kilo-Moto (SOKIMO).
Detour Lake Mine
Gold was first discovered in the Detour Lake area in the early 20th century, but modern exploration and development of the mine began in the late 1970s. Production commenced in 2013. The Detour Lake Mine is located in northeastern Ontario, Canada.
Cortez Gold Mine
The Cortez Gold Mine is owned and operated by Nevada Gold Mines LLC, the same joint venture that owns Carlin Gold Mine. The Cortez mine is about 59 miles from the Carlin mine. The Cortez Gold Mine utilizes both open-pit and underground mining methods to extract gold ore from multiple deposits within the Cortez Trend. This involves drilling, blasting, and hauling the ore to processing facilities.
Pueblo Viejo Mine
The Pueblo Viejo Mine is located in the central part of the Dominican Republic, approximately 62 miles northwest of the capital city, Santo Domingo. The Pueblo Viejo Mine is an open-pit operation that utilizes conventional truck and shovel mining methods to extract gold ore from multiple deposits within the Pueblo Viejo gold belt.
Lihir Mine
Gold was first discovered on Lihir Island in 1982 by the Newcrest Exploration Limited team. Development of the mine began in the late 1990s, and production commenced in 1997. The Lihir Mine is located on Lihir Island in the New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The Lihir Mine is owned and operated by Lihir Gold Limited, a subsidiary of Newcrest Mining Limited, an Australian mining company.
