A groundbreaking discovery in central China's Hunan Province has unveiled a supergiant gold deposit with estimated reserves exceeding 1,000 tonnes. Announced by the Geological Bureau of Hunan Province on Thursday, this find marks a significant milestone in the region's mining industry.
Geologists have identified over 40 gold veins within the Wangu Goldfield in Pingjiang County, with reserves of 300 tonnes located at depths of 2,000 meters. The total gold reserve at depths reaching 3,000 meters is projected to surpass 1,000 tonnes, valued at approximately 600 billion yuan (around $83 billion).
The success of the current exploration efforts is largely attributed to the implementation of advanced technologies, enabling effective exploration at depths above 1,500 meters. Ore prospecting expert Chen Rulin highlighted an impressive discovery rate of 87.3 percent, with 48 out of 55 drilled holes revealing the presence of gold. Additionally, gold deposits were found in two drill holes at depths of 2,000 meters, underscoring the extraordinary scale of the potential reserves.
Wu Jun, director of the Hunan Province Geological Disaster Survey and Monitoring Institute, emphasized that the Wangu Goldfield is the largest gold deposit ever discovered in Hunan's history. Nationwide, only around five gold deposits of such magnitude exist. The exploration efforts, spanning three decades, have involved extensive sample collection, drilling, and comprehensive research.
Despite the significant findings at 2,000 meters, exploration is ongoing. Wu indicated that the current discoveries represent only a fraction of the total reserve, with upcoming efforts focusing on the fringes and peripheral regions of the field to locate the remaining 700 tonnes of gold resources.
Chen Rulin noted, \"Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold,\" adding that a tonne of ore in the 2,000-meter range contained up to 138 grams of gold.
Liu Yongjun, deputy head of the Geological Bureau, highlighted the use of advanced ore prospecting technologies, such as 3D geological modeling, at the site. He also mentioned that gold was found during drills conducted in peripheral areas, revealing promising future prospects.
Reference(s):
Over 1,000 tonnes supergiant gold deposit discovered in central China
cgtn.com
