Major gold discovery in Gansu boosts national resource security

A significant gold discovery has been announced in Yumen city, Northwest China's Gansu province, unearthing over 40 metric tons of gold resources — enough to fill the reserves of two large gold mines.

The find, confirmed by the Gansu Provincial Department of Natural Resources, represents the largest gold discovery since the province launched its geological exploration fund in 2009, offering a major boost to the country's mineral resource strategy.

The journey to this breakthrough began in 2017 with the launch of a regional mineral survey in the Qianhongquan — Heishan Beitan area. Experts quickly recognized the region's strong potential, noting its location along a major geological belt known as the Southern Beishan Ductile Shear Zone — an area with a history of gold findings. Ideal conditions, including complex rock formations and active ancient magma flows, made it a promising hotspot for gold accumulation.

Initial fieldwork involved analyzing thousands of sediment samples, which helped narrow down 16 key gold-anomaly zones. By 2018, the first traces of gold were confirmed at Qianhongquan. Continued exploration through 2020 successfully mapped a gold-bearing structure stretching over 10 kilometers, revealing multiple rich veins and setting a solid foundation for full-scale drilling.

In 2019, the project entered an intensive prospecting phase. With increased support from national mineral exploration initiatives, the program saw a total investment of over 76 million yuan ($10.67 million) as of 2024. Work included extensive trenching and the drilling of more than 140 boreholes, spanning over 35,000 meters underground.

These persistent efforts paid off with the identification of a sprawling gold belt — roughly 14 kilometers long and up to 100 meters wide — leading to the total gold increment exceeding 40 tons.

The Gansu Department of Natural Resources has pledged to further advance fundamental geological research and expand exploration for strategic minerals, reinforcing both regional economic growth and national resource security in the years ahead.