New Discovery of a Gold Mine in Europe: “There are Tons of it”

The Gold Rush in France

The gold rush in France may soon be reignited.
Following the recent elections that saw Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party triumph, Paris could kick off a new race to obtain the precious yellow metal in 2024.

While the French capital is busy with the Olympics, the Élysée Palace is facing a sensational discovery: the presence of a new gold mine.
A site with a “potential deposit” of significant wealth.
As reported by the French press, there seem to be still “several dozen tons of gold” buried there.

The Location of the New Gold Mine in France

Although Côtes d’Armor, Gard, and the Pyrenees are the main known gold extraction areas in France, a new mine is expected to emerge soon.
The new site that everyone is talking about, and for which the Élysée has authorized new extractions, is located in the West of the country, in the heart of Limousin.
In an area between Limoges, Brive, Périgueux, and Angoulême, involving the communes of Chalard, Ladignac-le-Long (Haute-Vienne), and Jumilhac-le-Grand (Dordogne in the new Aquitaine).

In fact, despite being referred to as a new deposit, the site was already known as it previously hosted a mining activity, called Bourneix, which was closed in 2002.
Over the centuries, this area has always been a hotspot for gold research, with reports indicating that there are still “several dozen tons of gold” buried there.

Importance of the Gold Mine for Europe

The ambitious mining exploration operation will cover a vast area of 39 square kilometers to identify possible gold deposits.
Aurelius Resources, a subsidiary of the English company specialized in mining, has launched a five-year exploration aimed at locating and subsequently extracting a wide range of precious metals, other than gold.

This project, of significant geopolitical and economic importance, comes in the context of a growing global demand for raw materials and aims to reduce Europe’s dependence on imports, thus contributing to strengthening the energy and industrial security of France and the entire Union.

Environmental Risks of a New Gold Rush

While it is still early to tell if the new mine will unleash a “gold rush,” many activists have warned about the potential environmental risks.
Several associations have stood against the exploitation of the new gold mine due to the concrete risk of environmental pollution.