The world’s largest gold mines are less ‘sites’ than they are systems — vast, tightly orchestrated operations where rock is moved in volumes measured in hundreds of millions of tonnes, and where the economics of every ounce is shaped years, sometimes decades, in advance.
From the dust-blown expanses of the Nevada gold belts to the immense open pits of central Asia and the deep, complex ore bodies of Russia, these mines sit at the centre of global gold supply.
Despite China producing the most gold in the world as of 2025, none of the 10 largest gold mines are located in the country.
The world’s largest gold mine is located in Nevada, US, and owned by Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Barrick Mining (NYSE:B) and Newmont (ASX:NEM). The Nevada Gold Mines complex spans multiple underground and open-pit mines, mills, roasters, autoclaves, concentrators, and heap leach facilities across the Carlin, Cortez, Turquoise Ridge, and Phoenix districts in northern Nevada.
The Nevada Gold Mines complex accounts for 2.9% of global gold production, producing around 3.31 million ounces per year.
As this news service reported, Nevada has produced around 4.5 million troy ounces of gold alone in 2021, accounting for nearly 75% of the gold produced in the US.
In addition to producing the most gold in the nation, the state also reclaimed the number one spot as the “most attractive jurisdiction for investment” in the Fraser Institute’s 2025 Investment Attractiveness Index.
Uzbekistan for second place
The second-largest gold mine, Muruntau, is owned by Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company. The mine is located in Uzbekistan and comprises an open-pit mine and heap leach operations, with a resource base of 101 million ounces of gold.
Muruntau is estimated to have produced just shy of 3 million ounces of gold per year. As a result, the mine’s production represents more than 80% of Uzbekistan’s overall gold production.
The mine is more than 3.3km long, 2.5km wide, and nearly 600m deep, making it one of the world’s deepest open-pit operations.
According to ISI Markets data, Uzbekistan produces around 130 tonnes of gold annually, ranking it among the top 10 gold-producing countries in the world. The nation is also in the top 10 for holding the largest gold reserves, totalling 2,200 tonnes.
Grasberg in Indonesia takes third
Freeport-McMoRan’s (NYSE:FCX) Grasberg Mine, known as one of the largest copper mines in the world, is also the third-largest gold mine in the world. Gold mine production peaked in 2001 at above 350,000 ounces of gold. In 2021, the mine produced 1,370,000 ounces of gold, representing a 62% increase from 2020 levels.
According to Agincourt Resources, Grasberg produces an average of 1.37 million ounces of gold annually, as of 2023.
Following an incident in 2025 resulting in seven fatalities, Grasberg has been operating at half its full capacity. Full production is not expected until at least 2028, as this news service previously reported.
Freeport says under its phased restart and ramp-up plans, production of copper and gold from the Grasberg minerals district in 2026 is expected to be estimated at 2025 volumes, totalling 1 billion pounds of copper and 900,000 million ounces of gold.
Production is anticipated to increase throughout 2026 and 2027, with an average annual production rate of 1.6 billion pounds of copper and 1.3 million ounces of gold.
Russia in fourth
Over in Russia lies the fourth-largest gold mine in the world, the Olimpiada Mine, owned by Polyus (MOEX:PLZL). Polyus was recently given the title for being the ‘biggest miner’ in terms of gold reserves globally, holding more than 14 million ounces.
In 2025, the mine produced 926,000 ounces of gold. It also contains a proven and probable reserve of 30.7 million ounces, alongside a 55-million-ounce resource in the measured, indicated, and inferred categories.
Production began at Olimpiada in 1996 and currently accounts for more than half of Polyus’s total gold output. The ore mined at the site is processed at three plants, with a combined capacity of 15.4 million tonnes of ore annually.
Russia is ranked second in the world for gold production, totalling 345 tonnes annually, according to the World Gold Council.
Fifth and sixth placings
The fifth-largest gold mine in the world is the Pueblo Viejo Gold Mine located in the Dominican Republic. The mine is operated under a joint venture between Barrick and Newmont.
Construction of the project began in 2008, with production starting in 2012.
The mine has a forecast attributable production rate of 350,000–400,000 ounces of gold. In 2025, Pueblo Viejo produced 379,000 ounces of gold.
The Dominican Republic produces around 17.6 tonnes of gold annually and it is one of the country’s leading export products, bringing in more than US$1.5 billion ($2.14 billion) per year.
The sixth-largest gold mine in the world, Kibali Gold Mine, sits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and produces around 40–44 tonnes of gold per year.
Barrick Gold and AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU) each own 45% of the Kibali Gold Mine, while state-owned gold miner Société Minière de Kilo-Moto owns the remaining 10%.
Australia ranked seventh
Despite being Australia’s largest gold mine, Newmont’s Cadia East is ranked seventh in the world for gold production.
Located in New South Wales, the Cadia East Gold Mine comprises an underground panel cave mine, alongside the Ridgeway Underground Mine. The mine has an annual production rate of around 823,000 ounces of gold.
The site is currently advancing underground development for panel cave 1-2 (PC1-2), following the completion of PC2-3 draw points.
With a 35-year reserve life and continued investment in infrastructure, tailings capacity, and environmental performance, Cadia remains a long-life operation.
New South Wales is Australia’s second-largest gold-producing state, with sector revenues exceeding $4.2 billion and a total resource endowment estimated at more than 100 million ounces.
Eighth and ninth
Newmont’s Lihir Gold Mine, located on Niolam (Lihir) Island in the New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea, is the eighth-largest gold mine in the world. The mine’s gold reserve life is 30 years, containing an estimated gold reserve of 22 million ounces.
Lihir is considered ‘interesting’ due to the fact that it is located on a geothermally active extinct volcanic crater, with a high annual rainfall.
Papua New Guinea is considered one of the world’s most gold-rich nations, holding an estimated 100–147 million ounces of unmined gold reserves. The nation produces around 41–52 tonnes of gold annually.
Canada’s largest gold mine — Canadian Malartic Complex — is ninth on this list and is jointly owned by Yamana Gold and Agnico Eagle (NYSE:AEM). Located in Québec, it is currently an open-pit mine, but the operation is advancing into a larger underground project, known as the Odyssey Mine.
Yamana Gold and Agnico Eagle expect to transition the mine into an underground operation by 2028, with a mine life running until at least 2029. Meanwhile, the Odyssey Mine’s life is expected to last until 2042.
Australia also takes 10
Newmont’s Boddington Gold Mine in Western Australia is the tenth and final gold mine on this list. Boddington began open-pit operations in 1987 by extracting shallow oxide ores up to 70m below surface.
The mine was put under care and maintenance in 2001 and restarted commercial production eight years later in 2009. Boddington has a 20-year mine life, with a contained gold reserve totalling 10.2 million ounces.
Newmont reports that the mine has consistently delivered more than 800,000 ounces of gold equivalent annually.
Alongside being one of Australia’s largest gold mines, Boddington was the world’s first gold mine to implement an autonomous haulage system in 2021. By 2022, the autonomous fleet had safely hauled more than 100 million tonnes of material.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash
