China Discovers Rp 3,000 Trillion Gold Mine, World Excitement

Ilustrasi emas batangan (Antara)

JAKARTA - China announced the discovery of its largest gold mine in over 70 years, a discovery that immediately attracted global attention because its gold reserves are estimated at 1,444 tons. The value of these reserves, at current gold prices, is nearly US$193 billion, or around Rp 3,000 trillion.

China's Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed that the new gold mine is located in Dadonggou, Liaoning Province, northeastern China. This discovery represents one of the largest gold reserves recorded in the country since the modern era. The mine contains approximately 2.586 million tons of ore with an average grade of 0.56 grams per ton.

The exploration process for the Dadonggou Gold Mine was carried out by the Liaoning Geological and Mining Group, involving 1,000 technicians and workers. Interestingly, the survey took only 15 months, a record-breaking time for a large-scale gold mine discovery in China.

However, the Chinese government did not disclose the mine's exact location, only stating that it is located in eastern Liaoning to ensure safety and continuity of exploration.

This major discovery comes as global gold prices have surged more than 50% in just one year. The increase was driven by the weakening US dollar, geopolitical tensions, and increased gold purchases by central banks, particularly developing countries seeking to diversify their foreign exchange reserves.

China itself is intensifying its exploration of strategic minerals. Last year, the country discovered a gold mine with reserves of over 1,000 tons in Hunan and another mine with a capacity of 40 tons in Gansu. In the same year, China's gold production reached 377.24 tons, a slight increase of 0.56% compared to the previous year.

Domestic gold consumption is also showing an upward trend. By 2024, demand for gold bars and coins is expected to grow by more than 24%. Analysts cite the growing interest of the Chinese middle class in protecting their wealth amid global economic uncertainty as a key factor.

With the discovery of this giant gold mine in Liaoning, China's position as a key player in the global gold market is further strengthened.