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Even those who have never had anything to do with such a craft are interested in this question. It should be noted that there is not so much precious metal on our planet; its production does not exceed 1 thousand tons per year. Gold mining itself began a little over 6.5 thousand years ago.

The first gold products were found on the territory of Bulgaria and dated back to 4500 thousand BC. e. Such a short mining history allowed humanity to replenish its reserves of this metal by only 168.9 thousand tons.

Mined gold bars

How does gold appear?

Interest in gold arose relatively recently, but despite this, the metal itself appeared on our planet at the time of its formation. Many scientists believe that gold is created during the explosion of a neutron star, particles of which trigger the process of planet formation and solar systems, in some way consisting, among other things, of gold.

Most of the metal is concentrated in the Earth's molten core, and only a small amount is close enough to the surface to be mined. In addition, some of the metal reaches the surface with volcanic lava flows. The metal can also be found in places where post-magmatic and hydrothermal processes occur.

When talking about how gold appears and how to mine it on Earth, we should not forget about space. Every year, many meteorites fall onto the surface of the planet, some of which are made of gold. The discovery of such a meteorite is rare, but still possible.

Gold has been and remains one of the most valuable metals. Given its limited quantity, the demand for it has remained unchanged for many centuries.

History of the development of gold-bearing veins

The first large gold-bearing veins were found in Africa, Asia and America. Legends about the mysterious and inaccessible Eldorado - a land full of gold and precious stones- and to this day excite the hearts of adventure lovers. Modern gold mining is carried out on all continents; gold-bearing veins have been found in countries South America, Australia and China.

One of the largest gold-mining countries is the Russian Federation. The country is in fourth place in the production of the precious metal.

The first gold-bearing veins in Russia, and throughout the world, were mined manually, which had an impact on the quality, quantity and speed of gold mining. The first industrial extraction method was used in 1745. The first gold mine was discovered by the peasant Erofey Markov, later it was known as Berezovsky.

Today, about 16 companies are engaged in metal mining in the Russian Federation, each of which replenishes the state gold reserves by several tens of kilograms per year. Gold mining is carried out in the Irkutsk Territory, Magadan, Chukotka, Amur Region, Krasnoyarsk and Khabarovsk Territories.

Before the invention of the industrial mining method, the essence of which is described below, gold was mined exclusively by hand. This process was costly, time-consuming and even dangerous. What actually made it dangerous was the presence of other gold miners, wild animals, weather conditions and the vicissitudes of fate, which even the luckiest profit seekers had to face more than once.

Extraction methods

Modern technologies have improved many areas human activity. The extraction of precious metals is no exception in this regard. The introduction of new scientific developments makes it possible to extract them in places whose potential has dried up several decades ago. The profitability of a gold deposit is determined by the amount of gold.

A deposit in which 1 ton of sand contains at least 3 grams of gold is considered to be profitable and even very profitable. Deposits in which up to 10 grams of metal can be obtained from 1 ton are listed as rich, but there are very few such places left on the planet. Most of the rich deposits were developed in the first half of the last century.

There are several ways to obtain precious metal from sand and gold ore:

1) Sifting and washing sand manually. Practically not used in Lately. The method was widely used during the gold rush in the USA and Australia. The idea is to use large sieves, wire-bottomed buckets and bags. Before gold began to be mined on an industrial scale, gold-bearing veins were located in large quantities in the beds of large but relatively small rivers. All that was required from the miners was patience and skill.

People entered the river up to their waists, and sometimes up to their necks, scooped up river sand and poured it onto a special sieve. With the help of a sieve, which was kept on the surface of the water all the time, it was possible to get rid of sand and water, leaving only large stones, among which there were golden grains of sand. If gold-bearing veins were discovered near the shore, the task of gold miners was simplified.

This method of extraction required skill and maximum concentration. In northern latitudes, it was also seasonal. The resulting metal was sold in pure form. It was accepted as payment for goods and services provided in any part of the world. Unfortunately, it was not possible to extract a large amount of metal in this way.

Small gold-bearing grains of sand could be found already at a depth of 10-12 centimeters, but to obtain richer mining, gold miners had to dig up river soil to a depth of half a meter or more. The main sign of the presence of metal in a river or stream was the presence of quartz pebbles. Sand washing has been for a long time the only way obtaining metal.

2) Extraction of metal from gold ore. It was done manually. The main tools were a shovel, a pick, and a hammer for crushing ore. Dangerous way mining, which requires the ability to climb mountains, dig deep trenches and even mines. Metal mining in this way has been carried out for a long time in Russia.

3) Industrial production. Thanks to the discovery of some chemical compounds, the mining process has noticeably accelerated. Mining uses large and small equipment, the process is well-debugged and automated. Modern industrial extraction methods are:

• Almagalmirovaniye. In the middle of the last century, a method of metal extraction called almagalming was popular. The essence of the method was to use the ability of mercury to attract gold, enveloping it. To detect grains of metal, gold ore was poured into barrels, the bottom of which was covered with mercury. All the gold stuck to the mercury, and the devastated ore was disposed of. Subsequently, the barrel was heated, and the metal peeled off from the mercury. This method was ideal in terms of cheapness and ease of metal production. For a long time it was the main method of extraction. Currently, almagalming has been almost completely abandoned, due to the danger that toxic mercury poses to others. In addition, mercury still does not completely give up gold; some particles remain, which when high value metal is simply not cost-effective. Currently, gold is mined using slightly different methods.
• Metal leaching with sodium cyanide. Allows you to obtain metal even from already processed gold ore. Gold-bearing particles are initially converted into water-soluble cyanide compounds, after which they are returned to their solid form using special reagents.
• Flotation. Some gold-bearing rocks do not get wet, but are enveloped in liquid particles and float on the surface like air bubbles. To obtain gold from such a rock, it is crushed, filled with water or pine oil, and then mixed. The gold particles contained in the ore float to the surface, after which they are purified. On an industrial scale, oil is replaced with air - it is passed through a mixture of ore, water and some chemical elements.

4) Mining at home. Gold literally surrounds people, however, many never notice it and therefore do not suspect that it is quite real. Small amounts of gold are found in old wristwatch Soviet-made, radio components and even ordinary sea water. To obtain gold at home, you need to collect a large number of watches (at least several hundred), put them in a glass bowl and fill them with nitric acid. After some time, the acid will dissolve all metals except gold.

The resulting sediment is filtered through several layers of gauze, after which the remaining gold is poured with vodka and left for a day or more. After time, the gold is washed again and melted down. During the smelting process, a little soda is added to the gold. The weight and size of the resulting ingot will be slightly different from the original one. The extraction process is similar.

So, the past millennia have changed a lot in methods and. One thing has remained unchanged - the attractive value of this metal in the eyes of people.

The gold mining process is the extraction of gold different ways from natural sources. depending on the chosen method, it may include a whole range of works and processes: exploration of the territory for the presence of the desired metal, geological assessment, financing, development, direct extraction and delivery of finished cold ingots.

Gold has been mined by people since time immemorial, as it is one of the most valuable elements existing on the planet. At the same time, the shortage of minerals is increasing, since this element in the natural environment is not renewable, and the acquisition of shares of gold mining companies is an increasingly popular area for investment. Currently, world reserves of the resource are estimated at approximately 55 thousand tons. Russia ranks second in terms of deposits (about 12.5 tons).

Trend for 2014–2015

The largest gold producing companies in the world are Barrick Gold (Canada), Newmont Mining (USA), AngloGold Ashanti (South Africa). Over the entire history of human development, the countries' leaders in gold mining have already processed over 100 thousand tons of gold for the following purposes:

• about 50% - jewelry;
• 1/3 is kept in banks as collateral (so it never loses its value);
• the rest went to production needs, where metal is used to ensure the operation of all kinds of equipment, etc.

However, gold mining in the world has not yet reached its maximum scale, since this metal can be recycled. Gold-bearing ores are the main place where gold is mined, which is contained there in sufficient quantities to make the extraction process economically feasible.

Gold mining and refining

First of all, it is worth noting that all the so-called “light gold” in the most accessible deposits has already been almost completely exhausted. The safest of the remaining mines are now considered to be in North America However, even there the level of mined metal drops significantly every year. Since gold is inert, most of the metal is concentrated in the ore in natural form. Are used different ways gold mining and its subsequent purification. The main methods are manual mining of alluvial gold and extraction in mines.

Basic traditional methods

Standard methods for extracting gold have been used for a very long time and are relevant now. Only earlier gold mining was practically carried out manually regarding the entire process, but now many tasks have been facilitated with the help of machines. Among the key sources are still gold-bearing rivers. Often, after heavy rains in winter and summer, floods form, washing rock into streams, and then mining gold with your own hands becomes relevant.

After this, gold falls into the boiling water, which subsequently settles to the bottom of the rivers. It is obtained by an experienced gold miner using a wooden tray or other devices. But after a couple of weeks, this washed-up layer becomes covered with sand or overgrown with algae, which subsequently greatly complicates the process. That is why artisanal gold mining flourishes during the hot summer; it is very important to get the timing right.

This method of gold mining is very difficult - you have to work almost around the clock in the icy water of mountain rivers, and the results are not always happy.

Where and how do experienced miners extract gold using artisanal methods: the most suitable one is selected wide part river bed, it is good if a small other river flows into it and there should not be a strong current. The greatest chance of finding the desired prey is in mountainous areas. River rock can also be tested for gold content by the presence of quartz particles in its composition.

Mechanical means for working with gold-bearing rivers

The gold mining industry, based on extracting metal from rivers, uses a special mechanism for washing river rock - a dredge. This is a massive and noisy apparatus, the main purpose of which is the extraction of river gold. But the mechanism still does not exclude human work(workers sift the rock) and only facilitate part of the process by transporting the rock from the bottom of the river inside the mechanism.

At the exit, the processed rock is dumped, where there is definitely no longer the required material.

So, gold can be mined quite realistically, the method is effective, however, there is a significant drawback - great harm environment and river ecology. The channels are subsequently very strongly deformed and rock dumps are observed everywhere.

Modern techniques

Industrial gold mining is now actively carried out using heap leaching technology. Many gold mining countries use this method to extract the metal in economically viable quantities from low-grade and balanced ores, as well as small deposits. World gold mining began to reach new levels when heap leaching technology emerged:

• this method of gold mining can be implemented in just 1 year;
• this is the optimal period for a private gold miner;
• a great way to invest capital;
• within a year you will be able to hold bullion in your hands;
• when calculated per 1 kg of metal, the cost is lower than for traditional factory methods.

The method is much more modern and technologically less labor-intensive than artisanal gold mining, which is most often practiced in underdeveloped countries and in the absence of resources for other methods.

Steps of the production process using this technology

The method was invented with the participation of the Irgiridmed Institute and was first tested in 1991 in Kazakhstan. The production process, which includes gold mining technology using the heap leaching method, is implemented in several steps. Most often they look like this:

• preparation of ore material - crushing into small parts using specialized mills;
• passing rock through special sieves;
• carrying out pelletization - allows you to eliminate the collection and sticking of ore into large fractions;
• formation of an ore stack - the ore is leached using cyanide solution (a very toxic and dangerous process);
• further, the ore should be extracted using the sorption method aimed at heavy metals - for this, an ion exchange resin or activated carbon is used, or the stage is carried out using the cementation method using metallic zinc;
• Now, in a galvanic bath, deposits are obtained on zinc deposits or the cathode.

Finally, by melting gold-bearing sediments, a master alloy is obtained, from which the remaining ore (tailings) is leached, and the land from which the rock was taken is reclaimed.

More highly specialized techniques

Depending on where gold can be mined in a particular country, its location and the resource being mined, a number of more highly specialized techniques may be used. All of them are aimed at the industrial sector and require special equipment.

An exception is the use of a metal detector, however, this is also quite expensive equipment and each device is designed for its own operating conditions (land, water, etc.), which must also be taken into account.

Gravitational differentiation method

This procedure for gold-bearing rock is quite actively used by the modern gold mining industry. Everything is based on loading rocks onto trucks using large-scale excavators, transporting them to special mills where there are massive rotating drums. They crush the rock using large cast iron balls and then feed it into centrifuges. The heaviest fractions are carried to the edge and after repeated centrifugal spinning, the content of pyrite, an accompanying material, in the particles increases. Then this composition is washed many times and the heavy substance that has settled to the bottom is extracted from it.

Using a metal detector

Gold mining without special equipment can be done with your own hands using a metal detector. It is a mistake to believe that due to the low content of valuable metal in the waste ore, there is no point in taking out a metal detector and then processing a large amount of raw material in search of just one gram of precious metal. It is still worth considering that in the Earth’s crust the percentage of aurum (name chemical element) consists of only 5 mg per 1 ton and therefore any of the methods with this approach can be considered useless.

Metal detector - real way, how to mine gold and a valuable assistant for the miner, since rich and local deposits can still be found in the earth’s crust.

Their discovery is carried out by people with special education - geologists who know where, in theory, the most valuable areas can be located. There are so-called “ore nests” - the most gold-loaded parts of deposits that are already rich in metal. Here you can extract up to 1 kg of gold per ton of the Earth’s crust. Methods that include a metal detector are better for gold mining because the process is much faster and more efficient.

Using the flutter

Flotation is used by many countries that are leaders in gold mining. Although the method cannot be called uniquely aimed at gold mining, it significantly simplifies the task of how to extract the valuable metal. There is a similarity here with the dredge mechanism, however, the flutter is a more sensitive device, and it does not suck in rocks that easily get wet or are too light. Such gold mining mechanisms are derived from sulfide, copper or pyrite types of minerals.

Production involves the process of crushing ore, followed by pouring pine or other oil, everything is mixed, and particles from the mined metal will float up. Also in industry, air can be used, which will be passed through a mixture of water with crushed ore and some other reagents. When enough gold has been extracted, purification is carried out (usually using cyanidation).

Production in the cold season

Most often, gold miners leave their peak work for the summer, but if you know where to look for the “yellow value”, then winter mining has its advantages. It turns out that in winter it will be much easier to remove valuable metal from water than in summer. The first thing a seeker will need in such conditions is skis, and definitely hunting skis. Skiing will require you to navigate the rocky terrain of the streams, but it is important to remember to avoid rivers that are not completely frozen. It will be very advisable to move closer to the rock.

Moreover, due to the fact that river levels drop in the winter, the treasured sparkle can even be found on the surface of the rock. Here it is important not to forget to take into your arsenal the appropriate tools to remove metal particles from the surface.

It is worth noting that you can find much more valuable metal on the rocks than in the sand in summer. The very first task that a winter gold miner faces is to correctly determine the route and area for searching for the yellow metal.

To summarize, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of economic calculations and analysis of the feasibility of a particular method for various conditions. In each country and location of the metal, conditions are completely different and therefore some suitable method for one case will be completely useless or unprofitable for another. The search for precious metal is an extremely labor-intensive and complex process, in which, to guarantee success, one cannot do without special knowledge and equipment.

Gold is probably the most often vainly mentioned element of the periodic table, despite the fact that from a practical point of view there is almost nothing useful in it. It is soft, heavy, and not suitable for making tools or instruments with which you can effectively hit your neighbor on the head. On the other hand, it is beautiful, expensive, rare and almost eternal. Based on the combination of these factors, humanity at some point (namely in the 5th millennium BC) for some reason decided that this was a good material by which to measure everything else. Iron, by the way, became popular only after a thousand years!

A lot has changed since those times, but gold is still important. Not least because they found him practical use V different areas. We found four places where you can mine the yellow metal completely legally and without paying for it with your health and life. You don't even need a prospector's hat and sieve.

Used electrical appliances

The main use of gold in modern industry is due to its resistance to corrosion and excellent electrical conductivity. This makes it an ideal substance for coating all kinds of contacts that are not supposed to be cleaned or touched at all. Therefore, the yellow metal is actively used in high-tech devices. And in smartphones as well.

The average smartphone contains about 0.025 grams of pure gold and 0.25 grams of pure silver. For comparison, gold ore contains from 2 to 100 grams per ton of pure metal. The smartphone weighs 150 grams; Accordingly, to extract 2.5 g of gold, you need 15 kg of phones. Or a ton of low-grade ore.

By the way, the other day news appeared that in 2015, Apple recovered a ton of gold from decommissioned iPhones and iPads and received $40 million in profit. However, to do this they had to shovel 90 million pounds of electronic waste.

Sea water

Attempts to extract gold from sea water were made several times in the 20th century. The first experiments were carried out by the British in 1908, and the first patents were registered at the same time (they like to patent things that don’t work).

After World War I, Germany also tried to establish such production in order to pay indemnity. None of them succeeded due to imperfect technology. Scientists of that time could not even properly measure the concentration of gold in water; estimates differed hundreds of times.

According to modern data, the amount of gold in water (sea or fresh - it doesn’t matter) is on average 5 kg per 1 cubic meter. km. This figure, of course, depends on the specific body of water, but this is the order. According to current economic realities, extracting gold in this way is impractical. But there is no need to extract it.

For example, Lake Baikal contains 23,000 cubic meters. km of water. This is 115 tons of gold, which can honestly be included in Russia’s gold reserves. They cannot be taken away, like the bullion from Fort Knox, but there is definitely gold in the lake, unlike the American storage facility, and it is not going anywhere.

Wastewater

Do you brush your teeth twice a day? Maybe yes. Just like several billion more people around to the globe. We remind you that composite crowns and fillings became widespread only a few years ago, and in the last century gold was a very popular material in dentistry. And today you can find similar offers from various clinics.

When you brush (or polish) teeth with such fillings wedding ring), microscopic particles of gold fall into the sewer. The wastewater ends up in settling tanks, where bacteria (something like those scary, all-consuming creatures from cleaning product commercials) deal with the waste. They do not feed on gold, so it is deposited in silt, which is then cleaned out.

It turns out that this is a natural biochemical way of isolating gold from water, created by nature without the participation of pimply genetic engineers.

According to research from the Arizona state university, from the waste produced by a million people, you can pick up $8 million worth of gold and silver. About a fifth of a ton in gold terms. That is, Moscow, for example, discharges 2.5 tons per year into the sewer system. This gold is much easier to mine since it is already in metal form, as opposed to dissolved in natural water.

Transmutation

And finally, the dream of a medieval alchemist is transmutation.

It is possible to obtain gold from mercury isotopes, of which there seem to be many. This experiment was first carried out in 1947 by American physicists while studying the absorption of neutrons by mercury. About 35 μg of gold was obtained.

The sample is kept at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Needless to say, such production turned out to be economically unfeasible, like almost everything written above.

On the other hand, it is worth remembering that, for example, the selfie stick was invented back in 1983, but it became widespread only in the last few years due to the advent of modern smartphones. Who knows, maybe continuous growth technology can in the future revive the craziest ideas and make them profitable.

For gold mining Russian Federation ranks 4th worldwide. Everyone at least once wore jewelry made of this precious metal or followed its bank rate. Let's figure out where they mine in Russia, who is doing this work in our country, and how exactly gold-bearing veins are developed.

Where is gold mined in Russia?

Deposits of the yellow precious metal are located in the Urals, Altai and Far East. Large enterprises manage production. Let's look at the main Russian mines.

• The Solovyovskoye deposit is the oldest in the Amur region and throughout the country. More than 150 years ago, the first handfuls of precious metal were obtained here. Placer gold is located at a relatively shallow depth from 10 to 70 m. There are two methods for developing this mine: dredging and hydromechanized.

• The Udereysky mine is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Gold is mined here in the same way as in the previous quarry. Forecasts promise metal volumes of 800 kg annually until 2025.

• The Nevyanovskoe deposit was found in the Ural Mountains quite by accident in 1816. While walking along the local river, a little girl - the daughter of one of the residents - discovered a piece of gold nugget. Hydromonitors are used for resource extraction.

• Gradsky mine is a gold deposit in the Chelyabinsk region. The precious metal lies too deep, so it is mined only using the closed method. But diamonds are also found here.

• Dambuki is a mine located in the Amur region. For more than 100 years, gold has been mined here using the dredge method.

• Conder is a precious metal deposit in the Khabarovsk Territory. A nugget weighing about 1 kg was once discovered here. Every day 150 kg of gold is mined here.

• The Altai deposit has existed for more than 50 years. The ore contains 9 g of gold for every ton of raw material. For the next 30 years, you won't have to worry about maintaining the resource in a given location.

How gold is mined in Russia

Modern technologies have greatly simplified gold mining. Previously, this required washing the sand manually using a sieve, but now most The work for a person is performed by specially created mechanisms.

• Dredges are units installed on a moving platform. This is also the name of a ship that is equipped with this mechanism for the development of gold deposits in river beds. The device processes surface sand around the clock in search of precious metals.
• Washing installations complete the work of the dredge, separating gold from excess impurities. The hydromechanized method in combination with dredging is used in many mines.
• Hydraulic monitors are another device for developing gold deposits. A dense stream of water destroys rock, allowing access to precious metal deposits.

Private mining is prohibited in Russia, and lawbreakers who succumb to the gold rush face considerable risks. prison term. Despite this, in those places where deposits have been discovered. Even if you find hidden gold dust, you can be punished if you try to store or sell it.

Only specialized enterprises mine the precious metal legally in Russia. The resulting resource is carefully registered and handed over to the state. Gold is processed into bars or coins. Only after this does it go into circulation.

• In 2015, Russia produced 234.24 tons of ingots from the metal obtained in this way.
• 16.97 tons of associated gold came out. This is a resource obtained not at specialized mines, but in places where other minerals are mined.
• Recycled gold produced - 38.26 tons. It was created from metal waste or scrap.

Russia is a rich gold-bearing country. Huge reserves of the resource will last for several more decades. There is the largest amount of placer gold on the territory of the Federation - the state ranks first in the world in terms of its development.

• About 20% of all production comes from the company PJSC Polyus Gold, founded in 2006. This organization produces a precious metal in the Irkutsk, Magadan, Amur regions and Krasnoyarsk Territory.
• PJSC "Gold of Kamchatka" is a leader in the development of the resource in the Kamchatka Territory. Created as a result of the transformation of Koryakgeoldobycha. Today the company has big plans for the extraction and processing of precious metals.
• PJSC "Susumanzoloto" was formed on the basis of an enterprise for the development of a gold mine that existed in Magadan region since 1938. This happened in 1994, and since then many subsidiaries have appeared involved in various fields resource processing and extraction.

Gold is one of the most famous metals on Earth. Humanity has been mining it since time immemorial. For your yellow, which is no longer characteristic of any other metal, gold has received the nickname “gift of the sun” among many peoples. Therefore, various ceremonial and everyday decorations were made from it, statues of rulers were erected, and the most valuable coins were minted.

Historical excursion

Gold mining in Russia is associated primarily with beginning of the 19th century century, when Siberia was gripped by a real fever. Now it is no longer possible to establish for certain who started the rumor that one of the fugitive (according to other sources, exiled) peasants found a deposit with large nuggets in the bed of one of the rivers. But many industrialists of that time immediately went to the emperor to obtain a patent for the development. Thus began the era of gold mining in Russia.

In the nearly two centuries since then, surprisingly little has changed in terms of technology. Of course, now no one washes out gold sand using wooden strainers, but the principle of extraction remains the same. Its effectiveness has only increased due to the use latest technologies. Now it is possible to select even the smallest grains of sand from among the garbage, which would be difficult to notice with the naked eye. All production is strictly controlled by the state, although numerous cases of illegal fishing are recorded every year.

The so-called “black miners” cause significant damage to the economy of the region, since they do not pay any contributions to the treasury. Artisanal gold mining is not as efficient as the industrial approach. But the owners of illegal mines still receive fabulous profits, and hired workers are not left deprived.

Even despite regular monitoring by observers, it is still possible to hide at least a dozen large nuggets, which can then be sold at a high price and earn much more than the salary.

In total, there are two methods for extracting gold from the bowels of the earth. The use of a particular option depends on the type of metal being mined. If we're talking about About nuggets, they are mined by washing large volumes of earth containing a small amount of metal.

Therefore, mines are often located near large rivers so that there is regular access to a large number water. If we talk about gold ore, then it is mined using the mine method, and then sent for processing, as a result of which it is possible to extract pure metal from the rock.

In industry, the most applicable method is electrolytic gold mining, since it allows one to obtain metal of the highest standard, with a minimum amount of impurities. The process of gold mining from the moment of discovery of the deposit until its smelting into the target product is very interesting and educational. It is necessary to familiarize yourself with it general development. You can watch a video on gold mining in Russia on the Internet.

These methods of gold mining have been known to mankind for many centuries or more. effective method not yet invented. A century ago, many were ready to take a gamble, sell all their property and go to the mines in search of untold riches.

But now in many countries, illegal gold mining is a serious economic crime, so there are practically no people left to search for it. Although another type of “gold rush” has been preserved - the search for treasures. According to approximate calculations of scientists, there are at least a hundred real caches in the world, which contain several hundred kilograms of gold coins and jewelry.

World gold production

Gold mining in the world this moment is about 3 thousand tons per year. Moreover, more than half of all metal obtained is used for the production of jewelry and investment coins. Only 12% is used in industry to create technical elements. Rest the material is coming for the production of ingots of various weights, which are stored in the vaults of state banks.

This is done with the aim of forming the so-called “gold reserve”, which shows the welfare of the state and ensures its external debt to creditors. The higher a country’s indicator, the more seriously it is taken internationally and the easier it will be to obtain a targeted loan from any state or organization.

In 2013, the following countries became the leaders in gold mining in the world:

• 1. People's Republic of China - 12.8%;
• 2. Australia - 9.4%;
• 3. South African Republic - 8.9%;
• 4. United States of America - 8.89%;
• 5. Russian Federation - 7.9%;
• 6. Peru - 7.7%;
• 7. Uzbekistan - 6.3%.

At the moment, there are no particular trends towards an increase in gold production in the world. The indicators have fluctuated at approximately the same level for many years. This is because many of the investments and savings of influential people are in gold and it is necessary to maintain a stable price for it. And a shortage or surplus of material on the market will cause significant fluctuations, which always worsen the condition of the financial sector.

That's why the mighty of the world They are trying to maintain balance. And there is no particular need for a sharp increase in production volumes, because gold is a rather rare metal, so it is difficult to extract it from the ground. And the cost of each gram is then transferred to the finished product. And an increase in production volumes will require an immediate investment of colossal funds, which will pay off for many years.