Geologists Just Discovered One of Earth’s Largest Gold Deposit, Worth 78 Billion Euros

Geologists in China have uncovered one of the largest gold reserves in recent history, a discovery that could significantly reshape the global mining landscape. The supergiant deposit, buried deep beneath central China’s Hunan Province, is estimated to contain over 1,000 metric tons of gold, valued at around €78 billion or 600 billion yuan.

A Gold-Rich Landscape Revealed Beneath the Surface

According to the Geological Bureau of Hunan Province, more than 40 distinct gold veins were identified at depths of approximately 2,000 meters. These initial zones are believed to hold around 300 tons of gold, but further exploration has pushed expectations even higher.

Drilling conducted at 3,000 meters revealed additional reserves, boosting the total estimated yield beyond 1,000 tons, placing this site among the most significant ever recorded, according to Chinese state media.

In an unusual development for geological surveys, many of the extracted rock cores displayed visible gold, suggesting extremely high-grade mineralization. Some of the ore from the Wangu site contained as much as 138 grams of gold per metric ton, a density rarely encountered in large-scale operations.

“Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold,” said Chen Rulin, an ore-prospecting expert with the bureau, highlighting the extraordinary richness of the deposit.

Precision Through Advanced Geological Modeling

The Wangu discovery is not just a stroke of geological luck—it was made possible through state-of-the-art exploration technology. The bureau utilized three-dimensional geological modeling, enabling scientists to map the underground gold formations with unprecedented clarity.

These models helped direct drill sites toward the most promising veins, significantly increasing both the accuracy and depth of prospecting. Liu Yongjun, vice head of the Hunan Geological Bureau, emphasized that these methods were pivotal in pinpointing gold-rich zones deep below the Earth’s surface.

“Gold was also found during drills around the site’s peripheral areas,” he noted, indicating that the known boundaries of the deposit may still expand with continued exploration.

Economic Promise and Environmental Considerations

The discovery holds substantial implications for Hunan Province and China’s broader economic landscape. With its scale and quality, the Wangu gold field positions the province as a rising force in global gold production. Industry analysts expect it to attract both domestic investment and interest from international mining corporations looking to capitalize on the deposit’s commercial viability.

In terms of infrastructure, the reserve could stimulate the development of new transport and energy networks to support extraction activities. The mining and refining processes are also expected to generate thousands of new jobs, extending economic benefits well beyond the immediate site.

Yet this scale of mining does not come without challenges. Experts caution that any long-term development must carefully weigh environmental sustainability. Key concerns include land degradation, water resource management, and carbon emissions, all of which demand stringent regulatory oversight. The discovery, while economically transformative, is a test case for balancing industrial expansion with ecological responsibility.