The World's Ten Largest Gold Mines

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Australian Mining gives you a list of the world's ten largest gold mines according to 2011 production figures. 

1. Grasberg Mine (Indonesia)

The world's largest gold mine by size and output, the Grasberg gold mine in Indonesia had an output 1 444 000 last year.

It is also the world's third largest copper mine, and has close to 20 000 employees.

2. Cortez (U.S.A.)

Yet another Barrick gold mine in Nevada.

As of 2011 it had gold  production of 1 421 000.

It is made up of the Pipeline and South Pipeline deposits and the Cortez Hills deposit. The Pipeline and South Pipeline are open pit mines, and the Cortez Hills deposit, currently under construction will utilise both underground and open pit mining.

Cortez has been open longer than any other gold mine in Nevada, having been in operation since 1862.

3. Yanacocha (Peru)

Peru again makes the list with Newmont's Yanacocha gold mine, located in Cajamarca.

It has produced more than US$7 billion worth of gold to date.

In 2011 it had an output of 1 293 000 ounces of gold.

4. Goldstrike (U.S.A.)

The first American mine to make it into the list. Run by Barrick in Nevada, the mine had an output of 1 088 000 ounces in 2011.

According to Barrick it is located on the Carlin Trend, which is the most prolific gold mining district in the Western Hemisphere.

The Goldstrike operation includes the Betze-Post open pit mine and the Meikle and Rodeo underground mines which are located just north of the Betze-Post pit, along the same mineralized trend.

5. Veladero (Argentina)

Barrick has again made it into the list with the Veladero gold mine in San Juan, Argentina.

It is immediately to the south of Barrick's Pascua-Lama property.

It is a conventional open cut operation.

It had an output of 957 000 ounces last year, and as of December 31 had reserves of 10.6 million ounces.

6. Vaal River (South Africa)

Another underground gold operation run by Anglogold Ashanti.

The operation consists of the Great Noligwa, Kopanang, Moab Khotsong, and various surface operations.

It produced 831 000 in 2011.

7. West Wits (South Africa)

Operated by Anglogold Ashanti, this is the first underground operation to make the list.

Located in the West Wits goldfields west of Johannesburg, it consists of the TauTona mine (or Western Deep No.3 Shaft, which is currently the world's deepest mine), the Mponeng, and Savuka operations.

As of 2011 it produced 792 000 ounces.

8. Lagunas Norte (Peru)

Another mine owned by Barrick. Located in the north of the country, it lies just over four kilometres above sea leve.

In 2011 it produced 763 000 ounces of gold, and is undergoing an expansion project which will increase production as early as 2016.

9. The Super Pit ( Kalgoorlie-Boulder, WA, Australia)

This massive open cut is one of the main attractions in Kalgoorlie. Run by Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines ( a joint venture owned by Newmont and Barrick) the operation produces around 850 000 ounces of gold annually and is the largest open pit mine in Australia.

10. Boddington mine (Boddington, WA, Australia)

Run by Newmont, the Boddington gold mine is actually one of Australia's newest gold mines, beginning production in 2009.

At the end of 2010 it had reserves of 20 million ounces of gold and 2.4 billion pounds of copper.

This article was originally published on Australian Mining and is re-published here with permission.