‘The golden mountains’ - See one of world’s highest gold mines in Kyrgyzstan

Workers at one of the highest gold mines in the world, hidden in the beautiful Issyk-Kul region in Kyrgyzstan are definitely willing to go the extra mile in the search of precious stones. Footage shows the mine and the magnificent surroundings in all its glory. The mine is located at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level. The unique gold deposit was discovered by Soviet geologists in late 1970s. Despite the natural riches of the region, developing and opening a gold mine in such an inaccessible area turned out to be an impossible task, and the deposit was left as a remaining reserve. Work at the mine started in earnest following the collapse of the Soviet Union, when Kyrgyzstan became an independent republic and was able to attract foreign investors. The Kumtor gold mine is currently fully owned by the Canadian gold mining company Centerra Gold Inc. Last year, the mine’s gold production amounted to seven thousand metric tons.