Impressive find could transform the regional economy and join the list of the largest gold discoveries in the world
A group of Chinese geologists have made a monumental discovery beneath the Wangu gold field in Hunan province.
The site houses a possible deposit with more than 1,000 metric tons of gold, with 300 tons already confirmed close to the surface.
Initial estimates indicate that the total value could reach 600 billion yuan, equivalent to around R$450 billion.
Although the numbers are still preliminary, the potential of this reserve is gigantic. If projections are confirmed, the Wangu deposit could surpass historic mines, such as South Deep, in South Africa, which has around 870 proven tons and is considered one of the largest on the planet.
The discovery has been studied by the Hunan Geological Bureau and the Provincial Institute of Geology, which have identified more than 40 veins of gold distributed at depths of up to 2,000 meters and can reach up to 3,000 meters.
The region is part of the Jiangnan orogenic belt, an ancient geological fault formed by the clash of tectonic plates. These fractures created channels through which mineral fluids circulated, depositing gold over millions of years.
Even before this find, northeast Hunan was already among the most promising areas in China, with 315 tons of gold known. Now, the discovery of Wangu reinforces the province’s role as one of the richest in natural resources in the country.
The experts involved in the project carried out thousands of meters of drilling and used three-dimensional geological models to map the underground veins and assess the continuity of the richest areas.
Despite the enthusiasm, the technical challenge is enormous. Extracting gold from such great depths requires high costs for ventilation, water control and rock transportation, as well as complex logistics.
The quality of the ore, measured by the gold content in each ton of rock, will be decisive in determining whether exploration is economically viable.
Engineers will need to balance cost and yield: very deep or irregular veins may be left aside, while thicker, more stable areas may become the foundation of the future mine.
Exploration at Wangu is still in the early stages. As new drilling is completed, data must be adjusted and estimates refined.
If the results confirm the potential, the project will advance to the stages of mine planning, environmental licensing and investment capture.
For now, the Wangu gold field is already treated as an underground giant in the making — a discovery that could redefine the global mining map and mark a new era for Hunan province.
*With information from The Antagonist
