Unearthing Power: How 10 Countries Control 60% of the World’s Gold

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Dragon’s Vault

China’s gold empire hums beneath provinces like Shandong and Jiangxi, churning out over 10% of the world’s supply. State-owned giants like Shandong Gold and China National Gold guard a fortune that doubles as national strategy—part treasure, part power move.

Siberian Secrets

Deep in Russia’s frozen east, gold isn’t just a resource—it’s a geopolitical shield. The Kremlin’s growing bullion reserves reveal a quiet defiance against sanctions, while Siberian mines glint like silent sentinels of economic resilience.

Outback Fortune

In Australia’s red heart, machines claw through dust to unearth gleaming veins of wealth. From Kalgoorlie to Boddington, miners race the clock as Asia’s demand surges. The outback hums, its gold destined for Shanghai vaults and Mumbai jewellers.

Northern Lode

Canada’s subarctic wilderness hides an empire of gold stretching from Quebec to Yukon. Here, frostbitten miners and Indigenous partnerships drive a modern-day Klondike, where sustainability meets centuries-old dreams of glitter and grit.

Desert Dynasty

Nevada’s endless sands conceal the beating heart of America’s gold trade. The U.S. Geological Survey reports steady output, but whispers of tightening regulations and AI-driven mining tech suggest the old gold rush is evolving into something sharper—and smarter.

Ashanti Ascendancy

Ghana, Africa’s gold titan, gleams brighter than ever. Legal reforms and global investment have turned artisanal chaos into industrial triumph. With 40% of exports tied to the yellow metal, the nation’s fortunes rise—and sometimes, shimmer dangerously.

Aztec Alchemy

In Mexico, gold still rules the mountains of Sonora and Zacatecas. Backed by foreign giants, the country’s centuries-old mining tradition is being reborn with modern engineering—and a quiet fight over who really profits from the golden veins.

Island Giant

Indonesia’s Grasberg mine pierces through Papua’s mist, feeding one of the world’s largest gold operations. But behind the machinery lies a tale of politics, ownership battles, and the country’s bid to reclaim its mineral destiny from foreign hands.

Andean Echoes

Peru’s highlands hum with the sound of drills and danger. Officially, its gold sustains 15% of exports—but the shadow economy of illegal miners tells another story. In Cajamarca’s mountains, fortunes glitter beside the scars of deforestation.

Steppe Treasure

In Uzbekistan’s vast deserts, the Muruntau mine stretches to the horizon—a golden scar visible from space. Foreign investors now circle this Central Asian prize as the government opens its vault to the world, rewriting decades of secrecy.