When we talk about gold mining, we might picture individual mines or vague ideas of “gold-rich countries.”
In reality, global gold supply is driven by a relatively small number of mega-mines—operations so large they decide national production figures on their own.
Did you know that, despite gold being an Indian heritage, India isn’t even one of the top 10 gold mines in the world?
This blog focuses on that list: the biggest gold mines in the world, where they’re located, who operates them, and why they matter to the global gold supply.
How is gold mined?
While each operation differs based on geology and location, most large-scale gold mining processes follow the same broad sequence:
- Exploration: Identifying gold deposits through geological surveys and drilling
- Resource assessment: Estimating the size, grade, and economic viability of the deposit
- Mine development: Planning infrastructure, access routes, and extraction methods
- Extraction: Removing gold-bearing ore through open-pit or underground mining
- Processing: Separating gold from ore using physical and chemical methods
- Refining: Producing gold bars or doré for further purification
- Transport and distribution: Moving refined gold through the global gold supply chain
These steps happen all the time, across more than one site. This is how one mining complex can produce hundreds of thousands or even millions of ounces of gold each year.
Top gold mining companies and their flagship mines
| Gold mining company | Approx. active gold mines worldwide | Owns/operates a top-10 mine? |
| Newmont | 14 | ✅ Nevada Gold Mines (JV), Boddington, Lihir |
| Barrick Gold | 8 | ✅ Nevada Gold Mines (JV), Cortez, Kibali |
| Polyus | 5 | ✅ Olimpiada |
| Agnico Eagle Mines | 8 | ✅ Detour Lake |
| AngloGold Ashanti | 11 | ✅ (JV) Kibali |
| Navoi Mining & Metallurgical Company | 12 | ✅ Muruntau |
| Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine | ~6 | ✅ Almalyk Mining & Metallurgical Complex |
| PT Freeport Indonesia | ~3-4 | ✅ Grasberg |
10 biggest gold mines in the world (2026)
These 10 mines together produce a lot of gold around the world, which shows where most of the world's gold mining is happening right now.
1. Nevada Gold Mines - Nevada, United States
Operated jointly by Barrick Gold and Newmont, Nevada Gold Mines is the biggest gold mine in the world. While Nevada produces 70-80% of the world’s gold, this mine is primarily responsible for that number.
2. Muruntau - Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan
Muruntau is the largest open-pit gold mine on Earth. Navoi Mining & Metallurgical Company operates the mine, which produced 2.68 million ounces of gold in 2024.
3. Grasberg - Papua, Indonesia
Grasberg is unique: it’s a gold mine, a copper mine, and one of the most complex mining operations globally. Its operator is PT Freeport Indonesia.
| Did you know? In September 2025, 800,000 tonnes of wet material entered the Grasberg mine, resulting in 5 missing miners and severe damage to the mine’s infrastructure. |
4. Olimpiada - Siberia, Russia
Operated by Polyus, Olimpiada is a major player in Russia’s gold output. It is an open-pit operation with a capacity of 14 million tonnes of ore per year.
5. Cortez - Nevada, United States
Cortez is part of Nevada’s second dominance in global gold mining, with Barrick Gold leading the operations.
6. Boddington Gold Mines - Western Australia
Boddington holds Australia’s largest gold mine in production, with Newmont owning the operations.
The mine shows that Australia's gold mining industry depends on a few big operations instead of a lot of small ones.
7. Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex - Almalyk, Uzbekistan
In 2024, Almalyk shipped approximately 1.1 million ounces of molybdenum, silver, and copper. The complex, operated by AMMC, generated $694 million in revenue during the first nine months of 2025.
8. Kibali - Northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Kibali is operated by Barrick Gold, AngloGold Ashanti, and local partners.
It is the biggest gold mine in Africa, which shows that the world's biggest gold deposits are becoming more concentrated in areas that are just starting to be mined.
9. Detour Lake - Ontario, Canada
The Detour Lake open-pit mine is Canada’s largest gold-producing operation, holding one of the biggest gold mines in the world within the northern Abitibi Greenstone Belt.
Operated by Agnico Eagle Mines, it is one of Canada’s most strategically important gold assets.
10. Lihir - Aniolam Island, Papua New Guinea
Operated by Newmont, Lihir is one of the few gold mines in the world located on a geothermally active volcanic island, making it technically demanding to run.
From giant mines to modern mining
Mega-mines are getting deeper, more automated, and more scrutinised for environmental impact. That’s where modern mining techniques, sustainability practices, and technology come into play.
The biggest gold mining in the world, summed up
The biggest gold mines in the world show how concentrated the global gold supply really is, with a small number of operations bringing in the most production.
That concentration is one reason gold remains a stable, globally traded asset despite changing economic conditions.
For those who want exposure to gold without dealing with physical storage or mining-related risks, digital gold offers a simpler route.
The Jar app allows you to invest small amounts in gold backed by physical reserves, making gold investing accessible.
FAQs about the top gold mining players in the world
1. Who is the biggest gold miner in the world?
Newmont, a US-based company, runs the Nevada Gold Mines, which is the largest gold mining company in the world by output.
2. Who mines the most gold in the world?
China mines the most gold globally, leading annual production among all countries.
3. Where is India’s biggest gold mine?
India’s biggest gold mine is Hutti Gold Mine, located in Karnataka, India.
