Uzbekistan's Muruntau ranks second among world's largest gold mines

Thu July 16 2026

The top position in the ranking went to Nevada Gold Mines in the U.S. state of Nevada. Formed in 2019 through the combination of assets owned by Barrick and Newmont, the mining complex produced 2.7 million ounces, or 83.9 tonnes, of gold last year. That accounted for more than 2% of global gold production.

Muruntau, located in Uzbekistan's Kyzylkum Desert and operated by the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company, ranked second after producing 2.68 million ounces, or 83.3 tonnes, of gold in 2025. Muruntau is the world's largest open-pit gold mine. The pit exceeds 600 meters in depth and more than 3 kilometers in diameter. According to industry estimates, it contains approximately 4,500 tonnes of gold reserves, enough to sustain production for many decades.

Third place is taken by Indonesia's Grasberg mine, which produces both gold and copper. The operation is known for its advanced automation technologies and the use of underground block caving. Russia's Olimpiada mine ranked fourth. Located in Siberia, the operation uses bio-oxidation technology involving microorganisms to extract gold from refractory ore that is difficult to process using conventional methods.

Another Uzbek operation, the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex, took fifth place. Although the company is primarily a copper producer, it also recovers substantial volumes of gold during copper ore processing. As part of its ongoing modernization program, the company plans to double copper production by 2030, a move that is also expected to increase its gold output.

The remainder of the top 10 includes Indonesia's Batu Hijau, Kazakhstan's Kazzinc Consolidated, Ghana's Ahafo, Mali's Loulo–Gounkoto, and the Kibali mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Source: https://kun.uz