Introduction
Gold mining is one of the oldest and most lucrative industries in the world. Despite being a finite resource, gold mining continues to be a thriving industry, with new gold mines being discovered every year. In this article, we will take a look at the top 10 biggest gold mines in the world.
Top 10 World's Biggest Gold Mines
- Grasberg mine, Indonesia
- Muruntau mine, Uzbekistan
- Pueblo Viejo mine, Dominican Republic
- Cortez mine, United States
- Lihir mine, Papua New Guinea
- Olimpiada mine, Russia
- Yanacocha mine, Peru
- Carlin mine, United States
- Boddington mine, Australia
- Goldstrike Mine, USA
More information about the Top 10 Gold Mines list
-
Grasberg mine, Indonesia:
- Location: Papua province, Indonesia
- Owner/operator: Freeport-McMoRan (51%), Government of Indonesia (49%)
- Annual production: 1.2 million ounces of gold (as of 2020)
-
Muruntau mine, Uzbekistan:
- Location: Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan
- Owner/operator: Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combinat
- Annual production: 2.5 million ounces of gold (as of 2019)
-
Pueblo Viejo mine, Dominican Republic:
The Pueblo Viejo Mine, located in the Dominican Republic, is jointly owned by Barrick Gold and Newmont Goldcorp. The mine has proven and probable reserves of 10.2 million ounces of gold and is one of the largest gold mines in the world.
- Location: Sanchez Ramirez Province, Dominican Republic
- Owner/operator: Barrick Gold (60%), Newmont Goldcorp (40%)
- Annual production: 1.3 million ounces of gold (as of 2020)
-
Cortez mine, United States:
Cortez Mine located in Nevada, USA, is owned and operated by Barrick Gold. The mine has proven and probable reserves of 4.4 million ounces of gold and is one of the largest gold mines in North America.
- Location: Nevada, United States
- Owner/operator: Barrick Gold
- Annual production: 961,000 ounces of gold (as of 2020)
-
Lihir mine, Papua New Guinea:
The Lihir Mine, located in Papua New Guinea, is owned and operated by Newcrest Mining. The mine has proven and probable reserves of 5.2 million ounces of gold and is one of the largest gold mines in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Location: Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea
- Owner/operator: Newcrest Mining
- Annual production: 850,000 ounces of gold (as of 2020)
-
Olimpiada mine, Russia:
located in Russia's Siberian region, is one of the largest gold mines in Russia. The mine is owned and operated by Polyus and has proven and probable reserves of 4.8 million ounces of gold.
- Location: Siberia, Russia
- Owner/operator: Polyus
- Annual production: 1.3 million ounces of gold (as of 2020)
-
Yanacocha mine, Peru:
The Yanacocha Mine, located in Peru, is jointly owned by Newmont Goldcorp, Buenaventura, and the International Finance Corporation. The mine has proven and probable reserves of 7.3 million ounces of gold and is the second-largest gold mine in South America.
- Location: Cajamarca region, Peru
- Owner/operator: Newmont Goldcorp (51.35%), Buenaventura (43.65%), International Finance Corporation (5%)
- Annual production: 1.1 million ounces of gold (as of 2020)
-
Carlin mine, United States:
The Carlin Trend, located in Nevada, USA, is one of the largest gold mining districts in the world, producing more than 84 million ounces of gold since the 1960s. The mine is owned and operated by Newmont Goldcorp and has reserves of 6.5 million ounces of gold.
- Location: Nevada, United States
- Owner/operator: Newmont Mining
- Annual production: 963,000 ounces of gold (as of 2020)
-
Super Pit, Australia:
The Super Pit, located in Western Australia, is one of the largest open-pit gold mines in the world. The mine is owned and operated by Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines and has proven and probable reserves of 5.6 million ounces of gold.
- Location: Western Australia, Australia
- Owner/operator: Newmont Mining
- Annual production: 703,000 ounces of gold (as of 2020)
-
Goldstrike Mine, USA:
The Goldstrike Mine, located in Nevada, USA, is owned and operated by Barrick Gold. The mine has proven and probable reserves of 8.4 million ounces of gold and is one of the largest gold mines in North America.
- Location: Northeastern Nevada, USA
- Owner/operator: Barrick Gold Corporation
- Annual production: 1.2 million ounces of gold (as of 2021)
Comparison table of the top 10 largest gold mines in the world:
| Rank | Name of Mine | Country | Owner | Proven and Probable Gold Reserves (in million ounces) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grasberg Mine | Indonesia | Freeport-McMoRan | 27.1 |
| 2 | Pueblo Viejo Mine | Dominican Republic | Barrick Gold/Newmont | 10.2 |
| 3 | Goldstrike Mine | USA | Barrick Gold | 8.4 |
| 4 | Yanacocha Mine | Peru | Newmont Goldcorp/Buenaventura/IFC | 7.3 |
| 5 | Carlin Trend | USA | Newmont Goldcorp | 6.5 |
| 6 | Muruntau Mine | Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan Government | 6.0 |
| 7 | Super Pit | Australia | Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines | 5.6 |
| 8 | Lihir Mine | Papua New Guinea | Newcrest Mining | 5.2 |
| 9 | Olimpiada Mine | Russia | Polyus | 4.8 |
| 10 | Cortez Mine | USA | Barrick Gold | 4.4 |
Note: The data presented in this table is accurate as of September 2021 and is subject to change as new information becomes available.
Conclusion
In conclusion, gold mining continues to be a significant industry worldwide, with new gold mines being discovered regularly. The mines on this list are some of the largest and most productive in the world, with proven and probable reserves of millions of ounces of gold.
