By Nigel Wilson
International Business Times
Geologists have discovered a massive gold mine in China’s restive Xinjiang province, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The new find, close to the border with Kyrgzstan, has proven gold reserves of 127 tonnes, Xinhua said. If the estimates are correct, the reserves could be worth around 40 billion yuan ($6.5bn, £3.8bn, €4.8bn.)
It the biggest gold mine discovered in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region to date.
Prospectors have explored Xinjiang for more than two decades, finding 21 gold ore belts in that time.
The Xinjiang Geology and Mineral Exploration Bureau’s Cui Hongbin said 127 tonnes of gold reserves had been reported by June, as cited by Xinhua. The mine could potentially have a capacity of 200 tonnes of gold, said Cui.